Game Summary
After protecting home court while taking a 2-0 series lead, the defending NBA Champion Cavaliers travel to Toronto on Friday night for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Tipoff from Air Canada Centre is at 7:00 p.m. (ET).
The Cavaliers defeated the Raptors 125-103 at Quicken Loans Arena in Game 2 on Wednesday night. Their 125 points scored set a new franchise postseason record (previously 124 points against BOS on 5/7/10).
CAVS TO DON NAVY JERSEYS.
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ESPN
WTAM 1100, 87.7 FM La Mega
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In Wednesday’s win, the Wine and Gold shot 41-75 (.547) from the field and a 2017 Playoff-best .545 (18-33) from beyond the arc. Cleveland has now won its last five postseason games against the Raptors at Quicken Loans Arena by an average of 24.2 points (116.0-91.8) while shooting .525 from the field (.434 from deep) and limiting the Raptors to .426 shooting, including a .274 clip from beyond the arc, over that stretch.
The Cavaliers tallied a 2017 playoff-high 28 assists on 41 made field goals on Wednesday night. Defensively, they swiped a 2017 Playoff-high tying nine steals and held the Raptors to 5-17 (.294) shooting from three-point range.
With the victory, the Cavaliers are 6–0 in this year’s playoffs. Along with winning their first 10 games in the 2016 postseason, the only other team in NBA history to start 6–0 in consecutive postseasons was the Minneapolis Lakers in 1949 (7–0) and 1950 (7–0). (Elias Sports Bureau)
Going back to the 2015 postseason, the Cavs hold a 30-4 playoff record against Eastern Conference opponents (13-3 mark on the road over that span).
The Raptors own two of those four victories against the Wine and Gold, winning Games 3 & 4 in Toronto of last season's East Finals. Toronto will look to duplicate those performances as they aim to claw their way back into the series.
In doing so, they will need their All-Star shooting guard, DeMar Derozan, to get back on track. The Wine and Gold held Derozan to a playoff career-low five points in Game 2. Toronto is 0-5 when DeRozan is held under 10 points (all road games).
Where to Catch the Action
TV: ESPN
Radio: WTAM 1100, 87.7 La Mega
For live in-game updates, follow @cavs, @CavsJoeG, @CavsFredMcLeod, @MrCavalier34, @CavsJMike and @chones22 on Twitter.
Probable Starters/Status Update*
#2 - Kyrie Irving
#5 - J.R. Smith
#23 - LeBron James
#0 - Kevin Love
#13 - Tristan Thompson
G
G
F
F
C
#7 - Kyle Lowry
#10 - DeMar DeRozan
#24 - Norman Powell
#54 - Patrick Patterson
#9 - Serge Ibaka
Status Update: (Cavs) - None to Report
Status Update: (Raptors) - None to Report
*Subject to change.
Series Stats
LeBron James poured in a game-high 39 points on 10-14 (.714) shooting from the field, including a 4-6 (.667) mark from three-point range, six rebounds, four assists, a game-high three steals and a game-high two blocks during Game 2 on Wednesday night. With his three-pointer at the 8:41 mark of the third quarter, James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (5,762) for the 2nd-most points in NBA Playoff history. He also became just the 4th player in NBA Playoff history to make 300 career three-pointers with his second trey of the night. James’ performance marked his 89th postseason career 30+ point game, passing Kobe Bryant (88) for 2nd-most in NBA postseason history.
In the Game 2 victory, Channing Frye poured in a 2017 Playoff-high 18 points on 6-9 (.667) shooting, including a 5-7 (.714) mark from deep, while grabbing a 2017 Playoff-best five rebounds in 18 minutes as a reserve. Frye has now drained five or more triples in three career postseason games (5/6/16 at ATL, 5/5/10 vs. SAS).
Iman Shumpert posted a 2017 Playoff-best 14 points on 6-8 (.750) shooting and six rebounds (also a 2017 Playoff high) in 27 minutes off the bench on Wednesday night. Shumpert has reached double figures in 16 career postseason games, including 10 as a member of the Cavaliers.
In Game 2, Kyrie Irving turned in his 2nd straight double-double of the 2017 Playoffs (3rd of his postseason career) with 22 points, including a perfect 7-7 mark on free throws, and a postseason career-high 11 assists while adding two steals in 30 minutes. Irving has scored 20 or more points in 10 of his last 11 postseason contests, dating back to last year’s playoffs. Games 1 and 2 marked the first time in Irving’s career (regular and postseason) he has had back-toback games with at least 20 points and 10 assists.
On Deck
The series remains in T-Dot for Game 4 on Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. If the series continues after the trip, Game 5 will be back in Cleveland next Tuesday (5/9), back in Toronto for Game 6 next Thursday (5/11) and Game 7 at Quicken Loans Arena the following Sunday (5/14). WATCH PARTY TICKETS | SCHEDULE