Raptors rain buckets all over lowly Cavs
Defence takes a back seat as Toronto rolls over ex-nemesis thanks to Siakam and Co.
After a tough week ended on a happy note, the Toronto Raptors gave themselves plenty to celebrate to begin the new week.
A young and rather defensively dreadful Cleveland Cavaliers were like an early Christmas present in that regard as the Raptors took control early and ran away with a 133-113 win.
Crowd-pleasing lobs and long runway dunks were the order of the night for the Raptors, though there may yet be a price to pay for this one.
While Toronto was enjoying some easy offence at one end, it wasn’t exactly making it tough on the young Cavs at the other.
The Cavs shoot just 43.1 per cent per game, which is fifth worst in the NBA, but against the Raptors they finished a tick under 49 per cent.
Credit the Cavs for not caving once the Raptors pushed the lead to 20 to end the third quarter.
Pascal Siakam and Norm Powell led the way offensively with 33 and 26 points respectively, but everyone got in on the offence. Five different Raptors were in double digits by game’s end. Kyle Lowry was among that group with 20 points to go along with 11 assists on the night. OG Anunoby had 12 points and nine rebounds.
The Cavs’ young backcourt of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland was tough on the Raptors with 25 and 20 points respectively.
At no point past the first quarter did it feel like the Cavs were going to alter the outcome of this game, but the defensive disinterest was alarming.
The Raptors handled Kevin Love, the most prolific scorer on the Cavs, holding him to just nine points, but had no answers for the young, undersized backcourt of Sexton and Garland.
Brampton, Ont., native Tristan Thompson, who you can almost pencil in for a big game every time he comes home, didn’t disappoint with 18 tough points inside to go with eight rebounds.
THOMPSON’S FUTURE
The last time Canada’s national men’s program had a last-chance qualifier for the Olympics, Thompson made the trek to the Philippines less than two weeks after playing in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
Thompson was one of three NBAers in the Philippines for Canada’s last shot at qualifying for the Rio Olympics along with Cory Joseph and Joel Anthony.
It’s unlikely Thompson will be part of the qualifier this June in Victoria because he’ll be without an NBA contract. He’s just finishing up the fifth year of a five-year, US$82-million contract.
Thompson wasn’t willing Monday to address his summer plans.
“I’m not thinking about that right now,” Thompson said.
Thompson, though, was more than happy to comment on his boyhood team’s NBA championship a year ago and managed to take a not-so-subtle shot at Lowry in the process.
“It was huge for the city, huge for the country in general. Toronto basketball’s on the rise. It was great with Kawhi (Leonard) and it especially was huge for Kyle, just because I know how many times we’d beat up on him in the playoffs. So it was good. I’m happy for them, they deserved it and now we’re gonna try to get a win tonight.”
A POPULAR GUY
One coach has Thompson night in and night out during the NBA season. That would be Cleveland’s John Beilein. Toronto’s Nick Nurse could potentially have him for national team play once his contract is settled. Both coaches, though, love what Thompson brings to the table.
“You watch him tonight, he’ll go after virtually every rebound every single time with everything he’s got,” Beilein said. “So it’s a wrestling match at one end, a wrestling match at the other end and, by the way, he has to sprint. And he’s usually going to the basket, so he’s got further than everyone else to run. He’s been a warrior in so many games and has really helped us with the successes we’ve had and some of the tough losses we’ve had, we wouldn’t be in it without him.”
What Beilein is most thankful for, however, is the leadership and example he sets for the young Cavs.
Nurse has yet to experience first-hand that luxury of having the kind of tireless rebounder that Thompson is, but he’s seen enough of him as an opponent to know what that means.
“Tristan’s always going to be up there at the top as one of the best rebounding bigs in the league,” Nurse said. “Gosh, he’s sure had some amazing games in this building. I hope he doesn’t have one tonight. He’s really been a handful in this building at times, I think a couple 18-rebounder nights in there.
“That’s one thing. I also think he’s got a good feel for the game. I think he’s a good passer as well, a really good spacer. He knows what he’s doing out there on that end. Defensively, he’s got good feet. He can switch.”
STILL NO VANVLEET
That knock on the knee Fred VanVleet took a week and a half ago in a loss to the Houston Rockets is turning out to be rather stubborn.
VanVleet attempted to play the very next game in Philadelphia, but that experiment ended after about a quarter. He sat out the next night in Chicago, but has since missed three more games, including Monday night’s against Cleveland.
“He’s making some progress, hopefully,” Nurse said. “Day to day still, but didn’t make it for tonight (Monday). … He took a hit. I think there’s a little swelling there. I’m not sure (if ) it’s a bone bruise or just a little swelling or a little soreness.”