The Cleveland Cavaliers stumbled in their first playoff game on the road. They’ll get another chance to take care of business and head back home with a 3-1 series lead over the Toronto Raptors.
To do that, they’ll have to look much better than they did in Game 3.
The Cavs were thoroughly outplayed for 48 minutes on Thursday. Toronto owned them in the paint, turned them over at a high rate, and lit them up from behind the three-point line when the game mattered most. A 20-point thrashing in the fourth quarter made the final score look as bad as the rest of the game felt.
Shifting Cleveland’s focus back to the paint is a good start. Of course, they have to take care of the ball and limit quality three-point attempts for their opponent, but just getting their own shot diet back on track is a non-negotiable. The Cavs took 45 three-point attempts in Game 3 but only 36 two-pointers. That’s playing with fire.
I’m hoping to see the Cavs work harder to break Toronto’s shell and score in the paint. James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, specifically, have to be better at generating looks inside. They can’t afford another cold shooting night from downtown. Diversifying their shot chart is a more sustainable way to win.
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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1) at Toronto Raptors (1-2)
Raptors injury report: Immanuel Quickley – OUT (hamstring), A.J. Lawson – QUESTIONABLE (back spasms)
Cavs expected starting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Raptors expected starting lineup: Jakobe Walter, RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles
Here’s a look at both teams’ regular-season impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.
