Cavalry arrives, Cavs survive, can Raps avoid another dive? – The Nail in the Coffin, Episode 117
May 1, 2018Game 1, Baker Mayfield, and enjoying the moment: While We’re Waiting
May 2, 2018Cleveland Cavaliers 113
Toronto Raptors 112
[Box score]
Cavs lead series, 1-0
Wow! What a game. Less than 48 hours after concluding a seven-game series against the Indiana Pacers, the Cleveland Cavaliers were forced to take on the top seed in the East, one that had been off since Friday night. Prior to the game, many believed that the Cavs should just give Game 1 to Toronto, rest up, and get things going in Game 2 and for the rest of the series.
When the wine and gold trailed 33-19 at the end of the first quarter, packing it in seemed like the most optimal plan. The Cavs had other ideas.
After a dismal opening quarter, Cleveland outplayed the Raptors in the final three quarters and overtime to steal Game 1 above the border, 113-112. With the win, the Cavs not only take a 1-0 series lead and gain home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series, but the Raptors will like only see shades of wine and gold in their nightmares for the next two nights until Game 2 Thursday. The Cavs are officially in their heads.
1 – There was just one lead change in the game, but it was the only one that mattered most in the end. The Cavs took their first lead of the game when Kyle Korver knocked down a three-pointer 37 seconds into overtime and the wine and gold never looked back. That’s right, the Cavs didn’t hold their first lead until overtime and still won the game. Insane, right?
26/11/13 – Another game, another triple-double for the King. Even on an efficient night for LeBron James (12-of-30 from the field, 1-of-8 from deep, 1-of-6 from the free-throw line), No. 23 found other ways to impact the game. The best player in the world still had an insane game even though he had trouble finding his shot from all areas on the court.
Not only that, but he also played (yet another) 40-minute game, totaling 47 minutes in Game 1. That comes less than 48 hours after concluding a first-round series against the Pacers where he averaged 41.1 minutes a night. He really is not human, you guys.
16/2/3/2/1 – Plenty of Cavs fans gave Jeff Green a hard time for how he performed in the seven-game series against the Indiana Pacers, myself included. He deserved it. But with that said, he also deserves plenty of praise for how well he played in Tuesday night in Toronto as well. In 28 minutes off the bench, the versatile forward finished with 16 points, two rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block while knocking down all four of his shots, including one three-pointer. He also connected on 7-of-8 from the free-throw line as well. Green’s plus-10 led the team.
If he can play like that the rest of the series, it’s a huge boost for the Cavs, especially off the bench. His efficiency and energy off the bench was a key reason why the wine and gold were able to steal Game 1 in Toronto.
14 and 12 – All of those DNPs seemed to reinvigorate Tristan Thompson, which only means good things for the Cavs moving forward if he can keep this up. After an impressive Game 7, the center combined for 14 points and 12 rebounds while knocking down 5-of-8 from the field and all four of his free throws in 26 minutes off the bench. Of his 12 rebounds, nine (9!) were on the offensive glass. You can’t ask for much more than that.
10-of-18 – When JR Smith and Kyle Korver are hitting their three-pointers, it gives the Cavs’ offense a completely different dynamic. While the rest of the team continued to struggle to find their shot from beyond the arc, the two sharpshooters knocked down 10-of-18 shots from long distance, with Smith (5-of-6) leading the way.
40 percent – Smith and Korver were two of the biggest reasons why, but the Cavs made 14-of-35 three-pointers in the Game 1 win, good for 40 percent. Even though James and Love both struggled to find their shot from beyond the arc, a 40-percent clip is great for Cleveland. It’s one of the main reasons why No. 23 finished with 13 assists, too, because the guys he was passing the ball to actually made their shots this game.
Not only is he racking up points in the scoring column and hitting the boards, but Thompson is also bringing plenty of toughness and energy off the bench as well, something that the keeps badly needed against Indiana and can always use in the postseason. Even when he wasn’t grabbing offensive rebounds, Thompson was forcing Toronto’s bigs to foul him. They really couldn’t stop him in the paint.
5 – When you’re taking on the No. 1 seed at their place, efficiency is key. When you’re playing the first game of the series less than 48 hours after a Game 7, efficiency becomes even more important. Cleveland had just five (5!) turnovers Tuesday night, while shooting 41 percent from the floor. They may have struggled finding their shot at times, but if you only turn the ball over five times in a postseason game, you’re going to win a majority of the time.
3-of-13 – It’s obvious that the torn ligament in Kevin Love’s left thumb is bothering him a lot. Although he had seven points, 13 rebounds, and two assists in 34 minutes, the big man was still hesitating and even lost the ball at times after collecting a rebound. Hopefully he can eventually figure out a way to at least get somewhat back to normal. The Cavs will need him offensively not only this series, but moving forward (if they beat Toronto in the best-of-seven series) as well.
3-of-12 – After they both had a disappointing series against the Pacers, Rodney Hood (1-of-5) and Jordan Clarkson (2-of-7) continued their offensive woes in Game 1. If they can find their shot or even contribute a bit more in the scoring column, that would be a huge boost for the Cavs. But then again, if the postseason has proven anything, the wine and gold can’t count on that.
0 – Whether it’s due to being a bad matchup against Toronto or Thompson’s uprising, Larry Nance Jr. didn’t play a single second in Game 1, which is definitely interesting and something we should keep an eye on going forward. He struggled at times against Indiana last series, but his energy and athleticism off the bench is always needed, even if it’s just for a handful of minutes.
5-of-24 – While the Cavs outscored the Raptors, 23-18, in the fourth quarter to force overtime, their defense was dominant in the final quarter of regulation. Cleveland forced Toronto to make just 5-of-24 shots in the final 12 minutes, including missing their final 11 of the quarter. While the Raptors missed quite a few easy shots at the rim, the wine and gold’s defense can’t go unnoticed either.