The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Cavaliers trip to Toronto is all business
Lue tries to keep team focused with 2-0 series lead, 6-0 start in playoffs
The last time the Cavaliers lost a playoff game, officials were getting Quicken Loans Arena ready for the 2016 Republican National Convention.
The Cavs are 6-0 in the playoffs this year after sweeping Indiana in the first round and taking the first two games at The Q in the Eastern Conference semifinal series with Toronto. They have won nine straight in the postseason, including the last three games of the 2016 Finals with Golden State to become NBA champions for the first time.
Still, Coach Tyronn Lue — always confident but always cautious — doesn’t have to remind his players the Cavs lost two straight in Toronto last year after having a 2-0 lead in the Eastern finals. Game 3 is set for 7 p.m. May 5 in the Air Canada Centre, where the Raptors were 28-13 in the regular season.
“I addressed that in the locker
“We can’t take this team lightly . ... They’re a dangerous team..” – Cavs coach Tyronn Lue
room after the game,” Lue said in his postgame news conference May 3 after the Cavs pounded the Raptors, 125-103, in Game 2. “We were in the same position last year. We can’t take this team lightly. They’re a good team. They’re a dangerous team. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry can really hurt you.
“We have to go to Toronto with the mind-set this is a business trip. These two games are over. We did what we were supposed to do. Now we have to go on the road with the same mentality.”
DeRozan averaged 22.3 points a game in the regular season, was the Eastern Conference Player of the Week three times and was voted in as a starter in the All-Star Game.
DeRozan’s stat line from Game 2 was not worthy of an All-Star: 31 minutes played, 2 of 11 on field goal attempts, five points total and minus 21, meaning the Cavaliers outscored the Raptors by 21 points when DeRozan was on the floor.
The explanation for DeRozan’s struggles is simple: Cavs guard J.R. Smith defended him so closely that DeRozan could detect what Smith had for his pregame meal. Lue wants the unselfish Smith to play the same way the rest of the series.
“J.R. definitely made himself into a two-way player,” Cavs star LeBron James said after scoring 39 points in Game 2. “We said it all last year, said it in the offseason, and because of injuries, he didn’t get much of a rhythm for the regular season. But I feel like he’s back in form where he left off last year in the postseason.”
The Cavaliers started the night by going 8 for 8 on 3-point shots. Smith was 2-for-3 from behind the arc for the night. His only twopoint field goal attempt was a misfire.
Fans expect more than six points a night from the man nicknamed “J.R. Swish,” but that isn’t who he is in the playoffs.
He scored six, three, 13 and five points in the fourgame sweep of Indiana. His main job was defending Pacers star Paul George while James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love did most of the scoring.
Smith scored only six points in Game 1 against the Raptors while attempting four shots. DeRozan scored 19 points in that game, but he fired off 16 shots, connecting on seven of them. He was 5-for-5 at the line.
“With J.R., he said, ‘I’m not concerned with the offensive end, I’m going to continue to get stops,’ ” Lue said.
“He’s come to timeouts numerous times and said, ‘Don’t worry about me, I’m going to continue to get stops.’ ”
The Cavaliers were plus 15 during the 22 minutes, 35 seconds Smith was on the floor in Game 2.