Even with a relatively long period of rest prior to Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers barely showed any signs of rust. In fact, they dominated the opener against the Toronto Raptors, beating them by 31 points.
And now heading into tonight’s Game 2, you can’t help but expect another huge performance from the Cavs. Will that be the case again? Or will the Raptors answer back and hand Cleveland its first loss in the postseason? Read on below for more information about this matchup.
Craving for some tennis action as well? Well, check out our complete preview of the 2016 French Open, which is set to commence this weekend, for both the men’s and women’s singles competition.
Just when you thought that the Toronto Raptors finally regained their lethal form, things quickly went south during Tuesday night’s opener.
The Raptors fought valiantly in the first quarter, as they were down just five points at the end of that period. But after this, they were quickly trounced by the hosts—the Cleveland Cavaliers—throughout the remainder of the game. The final score, 115-84, should be more than enough of an explanation as to how the Raps were molested by the reigning conference champions.
Game 2, though, is an opportunity for redemption for Toronto. And in order for them to at least make things competitive, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have got to put up some big-time numbers.
Lowry, who entered Game 1 fresh off back-to-back 30-point outbursts, was sent back down to earth by Cleveland’s physicality and by his own shooting. The former Rockets point guard scored just eight points and went 4-of-14 from the floor.
DeRozan, meanwhile, had a so-so performance. He started out hot in the first quarter, but eventually cooled off at some point. Nevertheless, the veteran finished with a team-high of 18 points and surprisingly shot above 50 percent from the field. DeRozan can surely produce better numbers than that, however. He averaged 23.5 points during the regular season and was named to the East’s All-Star team after all.
Moving on to defense, the Raps were reminded of Jonas Valanciunas’ significance, as the Cavs outrebounded (45-23) them and managed to score 20 points in the paint to compensate for their poor three-point shooting.
That said, Toronto has got to do a better job in protecting and clogging the shaded area. Bismack Biyombo, in particular, has to provide a better fight down low especially if Valanciunas remains sidelined. The undersized center from Congo is putting up 6.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per contest this postseason.
The Raps are 4-6 SU and 3-7 ATS in its past 10 road games. They are also priced at +8,000to emerge as the NBA champions this year.
Betting on the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland’s domination in the playoffs continues. And its opponents—the Raptors—paid witness to that in Game 1.
LeBron James and Kyrie Irving shared the spotlight in leading the Cavs to the commanding 31-point victory over their conference rivals. The two superstars scored 24 and 27 points, respectively, and both also shot above 60 percent from the floor.
It’s worth noting that the Cavs’ second unit was also a testament to their success in the opener. They scored 39 points off the bench and it was the pair of Richard Jefferson and Matthew Dellavedova who led the charge in doing so. Both compiled nine points apiece, while Jefferson did a solid job in crashing the boards with a game-high of 11 rebounds.
Heading into the second game, one major concern for Cleveland would be its carelessness with the rock. The reigning Eastern Conference champions committed 16 turnovers during Tuesday night’s win. They better avoid giving out extra possessions to the Raptors, who are probably fired up to get their revenge tonight.
Once the Cavs attend to this matter, they’re bound to cruise to another victory in Game 2 as long as the usual suspects—James, Irving and Kevin Love—continue delivering the goods. Plus, another productive night from their bench should also allow Cleveland to take care of business eventually.
James and co. are 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS in their previous 10 home games. They are also priced at +115 to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy this year.
Writer’s Prediction
Cavs (-12.5) take Game 2, but this time, they barely cover the spread.
