Raptors lose hard-fought close game to the Cleveland Cavaliers

For the better part of the last month the Toronto Raptors seemed to have lost their edge and their fight. Earlier in the season, Toronto was losing but each game was hard-fought and close until the end. Recent games such as the contests against the Bucks, Celtics, Hawks, and Grizzlies saw lackluster effort from Toronto and embarrassingly large margins of defeat. Although last night’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers ended in a loss, the effort was better, the execution was better, and it just inspired more faith in this team.

The biggest boost that Toronto got last night was from their bench players Jamal Shead and Chris Boucher. Shead finished with 15 points on 87 percent shooting and turned in one of his best offensive performances of the season. Shead was perfect from behind the three point line and his movement really shined. Shead cut at opportune times, giving him easy avenues into the paint or closeout attack possessions and he also spaced the floor well, sliding around the three-point line while someone else handled the ball. 

Boucher scored 23 points and he was was a bundle of energy off the bench as soon as he entered the game. Any time it seemed that Cleveland was going to overtake Toronto Boucher would slingshot a three into the basket. Boucher dropped in 5 threes last night, all of them off the catch, and most of them heavily contested. Boucher’s length and motor also led to him getting some wide open dunks after deflections on defense and his smart cutting led to some easy rim looks as well. With Boucher and Shead combining for 38 points off the bench, it gave Toronto the cushion for them to have a lead for most of the game.

Scottie Barnes was sensational last night, finishing with 24 points, 8 assists, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. Barnes’ mid range scoring looked as refined as it has ever looked. He consistently rose for fadeaways in the mid range and shot over defenders, even showing off some great footwork in the post to get to these shots. Barnes’ defense was also strong as he was flying all around the court in an effort to stop Cleveland from attacking the rim. Barnes’ length helped around the rim as well when he would switch off his an to contest shots at the rim.

The offense of the Toronto Raptors was not the issue last night, the issue was their defense. Darius Garland finished with 40 points last night, Evan Mobley finished with 21, and Jarrett Allen and Caris Levert both finished with 18 points. Toronto seemingly had no answer for Garland last night, he repeatedly found himself with easy rim attempts after his forays into the paint. Whoever was guarding him at the point-of-attack whether it was RJ Barrett or Imanuel Quickley, or whoever it was found themselves behind Garland after a pick n’ roll and watched helplessly as Garland sprayed in floater after floater and layup after layup. Mobley was often left uncovered under the rim as a result of the Raptors defense being put into rotation. Levert was guarded well at times but he made some very tough shots throughout the night.

Toronto held the lead for the majority of the game, but in the 4th quarter after some lulls offensively, Cleveland was able to climb back into the game on the back of Garland’s offensive explosion and ultimately win the game.

The post Raptors lose hard-fought close game to the Cleveland Cavaliers first appeared on Raptors Republic.