Random dribbles following the Cavaliers’ 93-89 road loss to the Toronto Raptors in Game 4 of their first-round series on Sunday.
1. The Cavs gave up runs of 10-0 to close the second quarter and 12-2 to close the third, and couldn’t score in the game’s final two-and-a-half minutes (sans a late shot from Sam Merrill). They surrendered a whopping 21 offensive rebounds. Twenty. One.
2. You can’t expect to win at this time of year that way.
3. Still, the Cavs should’ve won, anyway. They choked it away. Teams stars Donovan Mitchell and James Harden kept the Cavs in it … but didn’t deliver at the end. You need your stars to knock ’em down when it matters.
4. Instead, it was a whole lot of Scottie Barnes for the Raptors. In the two games in Toronto, he’s been the best player in this series, and it’s really not even close.
5. On paper, the Cavs should’ve moved on from this series after five games. They now head back home tied at 2-all. What’s the problem? Too many at the moment.
6. Toronto loves a physical, ugly game. We all knew this entering the series. They will scratch and claw and fight for every inch. The Cavs can still beat them that way. But not with a lack of focus and attention to detail in other areas. This loss, again, showed an alarming shortage of both.
7. Harden finished with seven turnovers. That’s 16 for the two games in Toronto. Overall, in Game 4, the Cavs committed 17 turnovers. You give up 21 offensive rebounds and turn the ball over 17 times, and you do not deserve to win.
8. In other words, the Cavs simply seemed much too casual in too many areas in Games 3 and 4. You did have to like their energy on defense for most of Game 4 — but they sure didn’t get any stops when they needed them. They lost in nearly every metric that measures hustle plays, often with the outcome in the balance.
9. Mitchell had a really nice stretch in the fourth quarter, but that faded just as quickly. He finished a rim-rattling 6-of-24 from the floor. Harden went 6-of-14 for 19 points. Merrill scored 14 in just 19 minutes. It wouldn’t be surprising to see coach Kenny Atkinson turn to Merrill more in Game 5.
10. No one else scored more than eight. Evan Mobley went 4-of-11 from the field. Jarrett Allen scored just three points, though he did grab 15 rebounds. Both Mobley and Allen were also big reasons for the defensive stands. Still, the Cavs have to figure out how to get their big men more involved offensively.
11. Bottom line: Veteran teams shouldn’t lose games like this. The core of the Cavs has been in these situations numerous times. The core of the Raptors has not. So why is this series tied?
12. If you ask me, the answer is pure “want-to” and belief. When a smaller team records 21 offensive rebounds … well, that tells you a lot about which side is more determined. And which side may be a little too casual at times.
13. I’m not here to just rip the Cavs. I believe they’re winning this series. But, boy oh boy, they sure do like to make things difficult on themselves sometimes. When a more talented team gets outplayed … well, you have to wonder who’s to blame. I honestly can’t answer that. To me, it’s always a combination of things.
14. When that’s the case, you need one or two somebodies to step up, take over the series, and say, “I’m not letting it happen again. Period. End of discussion.” That’s a lot easier when you’re in your own gym. And now, this series is down to best-of-three. If needed, two are in Cleveland.
15. I think Wade was the only guy who played better in the two road games than he did in the first two at home. He defended, he made shots (3-of-5), he forced nothing and he didn’t commit a turnover. Neither did Allen or Merrill. Allen was a plus-14, Wade a plus-11, Merrill a plus-six. Harden was about even. Everyone else’s plus-minus score was kind of brutal.
16. Donovan Mitchell. James Harden. Evan Mobley. The Cavs need you now. If you want to flip the script about nobody taking you seriously in the playoffs … well, there’s no time like the present. This is when the game’s brightest stars are expected to shine. Better get to it.
17. Barnes and Brandon Ingram each scored 23 points to lead the Raptors. RJ Barrett added 18. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles added 15 points and 10 rebounds. You could make the case that Murray-Boyles was the best big man on the court in the two games in Toronto. The Cavs can’t let that happen again, either.
- BOX SCORE | Raptors 93, Cavs 89
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Cavs need to shorten rotation so guys can catch some momentum together.
Rotation should included Harden, Mitchell, Ellis, Tyson, Shcroeder, Strus, Bryant, Allen, Mobley, and Tomlin.
Why not Wade and Merril? Shooting is not enough. There is no room for specialists out there, We don’t have a LeBron James Boobie Gibson situation, here. Strus should be getting any strictly shooter minutes. That’s it.
The guys in the rotation need to gel and catch rhythm together. That can’t happen playing musical chairs all game long. I don’t think we should be adjusting as much to them as making them adjust to us. Stick with our all around guys, guys who can put the ball on the floor themselves. Watching the Raptrors overload on Mitchel and deny Harden the ball, makes it clear. We need guys out there who can get a bucket for themselves. We are getting bullied too mich on defense to have anybody our there who struggles defensively.
Tomlin should be out there spot minutes to guard Barnes. He would change the equation for Barnes. Can keep up with him in transition. Bryant wouldn’t be taking all this bullying from a rookie.
Come on Cavs coaching staff! We have the pieces to bring to this team.
And I want to call out Donavan Mitchells personal coach while we’re here. Mr Bryant. Aren’t you supposed to be the Donavan whisperer? Other than making scouting faces, what is you would say it is you do here? I think Mitchell has too many voices in his ears, especially if you count his own
This team has yet to flow as if everybody is completely bought in to a common identity. The force of the team, and the ball finding where ever it needs to go. Instead it still looks like role and identity are still issues that are tripping people up when push comes to shove.
Lets just put the best players we can out there. And not assume some players are going to carry others, and get them open shots. We need guys out there who can ball when a play breaks down, and get it done in every type of way, both ends of the floor. Nobody should feel they have to take the last shot. We might want the ball in certain guys hands to create for themselves or others. But we need to just let the ball find it’s home naturally, in the flow of the basketball. The identity issue and this team seems like still a work in progress.