James puts the kibosh to Raptors
Cavs’ star scores 34 as defending champs end skid
TORONTO • Back-to-back blowout wins can be a lot of fun, even more so when they extend a winning streak to six, but often there is a price to pay.
The likelihood that debt will be collected multiplies when the next team up is the defending NBA champs who just happen to be dragging a three- game losing skid behind them.
The Raptors debt came due Monday night as an ornery, not to mention rested, bunch of Cavaliers showed up to re- establish their hold as the team to beat, a hold that had slipped slightly with the three game skid, but only to those who were willing to overlook the best allaround player in the world still plays in Cleveland.
LeBron James was there to remind one and all that he can almost score at will as he carried his team to a 116-112 win over the game but overmatched Raptors.
It was the third consecutive win by the Cavs over Toronto this season. Toronto will get one more crack at them in the regular season.
There were times in the game where the Raptors looked like they might just pull this one off but every time it started to feel that way, James took the game into his own hands and delivered when his team needed him most.
On this night, the Cavs needed James to be a scorer which he did finishing with a team high 34 points in a season high 42 minutes.
Oh, he had assistance in this one, that goes without saying.
It began with t he 26 points from Kevin Love and another 19 from Kyrie Irving but it was James who had the difference- making plays all night.
In addition to his 34 points, he chipped in with six boards and six assists and was his normal disruptive self on the defensive end as well.
The Raptors seemed to spend a good part of the night focused on the lack of calls going their way which, even if it were warranted, did them no good in the end.
The biggest surprise was t hat head coach Dwane Casey somehow avoided getting a technical.
Casey, though, also had the Cavs’ shooting percentage to get his blood boiling.
For the vast majority of the game up until the final five minutes of play, the Cavs were shooting above the magical 50 per cent mark. Through the first quarter it was an embarrassing (for Toronto) 65 per cent.
Eventually they got that number down to a somewhat respectable 47 per cent but it will likely get mentioned quite a bit over the next two days as the Raptors catch a little break in the schedule before hosting Minnesota on Thursday.
DeMar DeRozan looked like he had brought the Raptors to within two of the Cavs with 10 seconds remaining but what was originally ruled a three-point shot was overturned by video review which ruled he had stepped out of bounds.
DeRozan still wound up with a Raptors- high 31 points on the night.
The first half was more about the trainers than the players by times.
First James came down after completing a dunk awkwardly and stayed down.
The Cavs called a timeout and James went to the bench looking like he was favouring his groin.
At the conclusion of the timeout he was back on the court but on a few occasions could be seen stretching it out as he came back up the court. Next casualty was Raptors’ guard Kyle Lowry but like James, his discomfort proved temporary.
He took an elbow in the mouth and required a quick t ri p to t he l ocker- room where the team dentist froze the area above his top lip. Lowry returned and looked no worse for wear.
The most significant inj ury followed Lowry’s as Cleveland’s J. R. Smith came down after a basket and couldn’t make it back down the court falling to the court and slamming his hand in frustration.
He also went to his lockerroom but did not return because of a left knee injury.
When the two teams were actually playing it was a lot of offence from both sides and not surprisingly little in the way of defence.
The Cavs shot 55 per cent in the half, or about six per cent better t han Dwane Casey is even beginning to find acceptable.
JAMES WAS THERE TO REMIND ONE AND ALL HE CAN ALMOST SCORE AT WILL.