Dribbles: Cavs start slow, make a run, but it wasn’t to be vs. Raptors

Random dribbles following the Cavaliers’ 1241-121 road loss to the Raptors on Monday.

1. It looked like the Cavs may have spent too much time ringing in the New Year. On New Year’s Eve, that is. They came out flat, lethargic, and a little out of sorts.

2. But as is often the case with this team, they refused to just mail it when they got down by 19 points in the first half. Instead, they scratched and clawed and even went up by 111-108 in the fourth quarter.

3. Then came a weird “clear-path foul” call on Donovan Mitchell. All he was doing was going for the ball while trying to intercept a pass. But the refs decided he fouled Raptors forward Scottie Barnes on purpose. They even looked at a replay to prove their point.

4. It wasn’t the only questionable decision of the night by the refs, but it did slow the Cavs’ momentum. Nonetheless, they still had several chances to win. They just couldn’t capitalize. And really, most of it came down to the ball not dropping when they needed it to most.

5. No big deal. but if only the Cavs had started a little sharper … well, they’d be embarking on their looming six-game homestand with a win.

6. When the Cavs struggled, it was mostly on defense, and all of it came in the first half. For a while there, they seemed as if they trying to run on a court made of eggnog. They pulled it together just before halftime, then gave themselves a chance the rest of the way. 

7. Nonetheless, there are worse things than a road loss, and I don’t see any major red flags for the Cavs at the moment. I know you want me to be harsher. Trust me, I read the responses on X/Twitter (sometimes) and the emails (always). But they are getting after it most quarters of most nights, and when you play 82 games, that’s really all you can ask.

8. Caris LeVert kicked off 2024 with a cool new hairdo and a team-high 31 points. He’s one guy who cannot be accused of lacking energy, that’s for sure. Mitchell scored 27, with seven assists and six rebounds, and nearly pulled off the missed-free-throw-on-purpose routine at the end. But the refs said he stepped over the line too soon (debatable).

9. Sam Merrill, Isaac Okoro and Jarrett Allen each added 16 points, with Allen collecting 11 rebounds. All had a hand in the Cavs’ rallying to take the lead. The Cavs were also 23-of-26 on free throws, which undoubtedly helped. (Compared to 29-of-40 for the Raptors.)

10. The Raptors (13-20) were playing their first game with newcomers RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, acquired in the OG Anunoby trade with the Knicks. Barrett and Quickley are nice players, though I don’t know that they’re going to move the needle much in Toronto. Guess we’ll know soon enough.

11. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff and the Cavs were fuming over an in-bounds with 2.6 seconds left, when Raptors forward Pascal Siakam clearly moved his feet on the sideline to throw a pass. The rule says he has to remain stationary. That’s the opposite of what he did. The refs called nothing.

12. So the Cavs were forced to foul, and that was that.

13. Bickerstaff to reporters: “He traveled for sure. There’s no doubt about it. … He clearly worked his way up the sideline. That’s a violation. The ball should’ve been ours.”

14. That no-call isn’t why the Cavs lost, but it sure didn’t help. The Raptors (12-20) were led by 36 points from Siakam, followed by 20 from Barnes and 19 from Barrett.

15. Anyway, Bickerstaff wasn’t too dismayed with how things went. “We outscored them in every quarter but the first,” he said. “So we put ourselves in a tough hole to overcome, but I thought the guys kept fighting and trying to scrap their way back in.”

16. Yes, the Cavs (18-15) now get six in a row at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, starting with two against the lowly Washington Wizards. The first is Wednesday, followed by another Friday. No reason to lose either of those.

17. Final word from Merrill: “This doesn’t always exist in the NBA but we’ve got a lot of competitive dudes, guys that really want to win. We have a really good bond as teammates. That makes you want to win even more, because you want to play for each other. It hasn’t always been perfect, but if you play the right way and play for each other, things are generally going to go well.”

Cavs halftime dribbles …

1. The Cavs started a step slow (or two or three) in all areas, but especially defensively. They’ve been flat, lacking energy, out of sync.

2. Other than all that, it’s been a banner start to the New Year.

3. On the bright side for the Cavs, the…

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) January 2, 2024