The Cavaliers are no longer undefeated in the playoffs. The Raptors ended their winning streak at 10 by beating them 99-84 in Toronto in Game 3. DeMar DeRozan led the way with 32 points while Bismack Biyombo broke a franchise playoff record by grabbing 26 rebounds. LeBron James had 24 points in the losing effort but didn't have enough help to complete a comeback in the second half. The series is now 2-1, Cleveland.
Cavaliers vs. Raptors 2016 final score: Toronto gets on the board with 99-84 win at home
The Raptors ended the Cavaliers’ playoff winning streak at 10, thanks to great performances from DeMar DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo.
Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
The Raptors were clearly aware of how big this game was for them and came out energized. Bismack Biymbo owned the boards while DeMar DeRozan carried the scoring load. They suffered a big setback when Kyle Lowry got into foul trouble, but they didn't fall apart. Cory Joseph did a good job running the offense and everyone competed on defense, keeping Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving in check in the first quarter.
The Cavaliers suffered a drought at the worst possible time. Except for Channing Frye, the bench struggled to get points on the board in the second quarter. The open looks were there but everyone was missing. DeRozan, meanwhile, heated up as the quarter rolled on and Toronto's offense started to click like it hadn't in the series up until that point. The lead was 13 points at the half and it could have been bigger.
The Cavaliers made their move in the third quarter and quickly got the deficit down to five points. It looked like momentum was changing and that a close game was in the cards. Yet the Raptors always had an answer to Cleveland’s mini-runs. The recipe was the same that got them the lead in the first place: DeRozan took care of the offense while Biyombo sealed off the paint and gathered misses.
Without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love stepping up, the Cavaliers simply lacked the firepower to turn the game around in the second half. Toronto kept them at arm’s length throughout the fourth quarter, always making timely plays, to get their first win of the series.
Now Cleveland is only up 2-1 against a team that finally had the type of performance they can build on. We might have a series, after all.
3 things we learned from the Raptors’ win
DeMar DeRozan is hard to stop when he gets going
DeRozan is a divisive player because he can stop the ball at times and he takes too many mid-range jumpers to truly be an efficient first option. He often looks for contact on drives instead of trying to go all the way. When he’s not feeling it, he can easily put together a 6-for-19 night and hurt the offense more than he helps it.
When he's on, however, he's very hard to stop. In Game 3 he showed off the full repertoire. He drove when the lane was open using both his athleticism and handles, created room to pull up using his dribble and even made some great passes. His performance was even more impressive because it came at a time in which it was needed, as Kyle Lowry was limited by foul trouble. Without him taking over to the tune of 32 points on 24 shots, the Raptors would have never been able to score as prolifically as they did.
This version of DeRozan has to be around for the next few games. If it is, then the Raptors could really make this a series.
Bismack Biyombo masked the absence of Jonas Valanciunas
The Raptors really missed Jonas Valanciunas in the first two games of the series. Biyombo had to step into the starting center spot, which left the bench lacking a quality big man. The Cavaliers got what they wanted inside and had control of the boards. Not having an inside presence was a serious problem that threatened to end Toronto’s season.
Fortunately for them, Biyombo stepped up big in Game 3, looking more like a star than the solid backup he is. He finished with 26 rebounds and four blocks and even made some big buckets in the fourth quarter. It was the type of performance the Raptors needed in a must-win and the young center delivered.
Toronto would obviously welcome back Valanciunas for Game 4, if he’s ready to go. Knowing that Biyombo can have a game like this one, however, should allow them to stay optimistic about their chances, even if Valanciunas misses more time.
LeBron can’t do it alone
James finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists. His outside shot continued to be off but he got to the rim, fought for loose balls and carried his team on both ends for stretches. Yet as good as he was, it was obvious during the game that he needed more help than the one spot-up shooters like J.R. Smith and Channing Frye could provide.
Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving both disappeared in Game 3, and that's a big reason why the Raptors are finally on the board. Love struggled with Luis Scola to start the game and never heated up on offense. Irving was simply too passive. When he did try to drive he couldn't finish over Biyombo and failed to create for others as well. The two combined to score 16 points on 28 shots.
Cleveland’s budding Big Three had been consistent in the postseason, so overreacting to one poor performance would be silly. This loss does serve as a reminder that as great as James still is, the Cavaliers will need the other stars on the roster to play at their usual level to have a shot at a title.
See More:
