It Was Over When...
Kyrie Irving hit two free throws to put the Cleveland Cavaliers up seven with 1:30 remaining. DeMar DeRozan missed a jumper on Toronto’s next possession and the Cavs converted that miss into a LeBron layup to go ahead by nine. The Cavaliers would go on to a 120-112 victory against the Raptors.
Big Night From JV
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Jonas Valanciunas had one of his best games against the Cavaliers, playing 31 minutes and scoring 26 points on 12-for-17 field goals to go with 11 rebounds an assist and two blocked shots. Valanciunas finished the game against Cleveland on the court rather than on the bench, playing the final 4:55 minutes of the game.
“He played huge," head coach Dwane Casey said of Valanciunas post-game. "This was one game that he came in, and I thought he dominated. … They were blitzing Lou and DeMar, and Greivis did a great job of finding him on the roll. Subsequently, the way they were rotating, he had a small guy on him at the rim. He did a great job of catching and finishing. That’s huge for him. That’s another step in his development.”
6 Man Like Lou Will
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Lou Williams was incredible against the Cavaliers. Williams finished the game with 26 points in 30 minutes off the bench to go with six assists and two rebounds. He shot a blistering 7-for-8 from the floor, 4-for-4 from beyond the arc and 8-for-8 from the free throw line and set a Raptors franchise record for points in a quarter with his 21-point fourth quarter. Williams also single-handedly outscored the Cavaliers bench 26-18.
“We can use it just carrying on, understanding the schedule that we have," said Williams of leading the way for the Raptors in the final frame. "It’s tough one at this point in the schedule, 60 games in. It’s going to take a lot of fight when fatigue starts to jump on you and the games are coming really fast. You have to have guys willing to step up on the court and fight to the end.”
The Underrated Raptor
Greivis Vasquez had another strong effort starting in place of Kyle Lowry. Vasquez only scored six points against the Cavaliers, but dished out a team-high 13 assists to just one turnover in nearly 40 minutes of playing time.
Watching From The Sideline
Kyle Lowry was inactive for his third straight game on Wednesday night as the team continues to rest him so his body can heal from various ailments.
That’s A Rap
“I was disappointed we went down 19, but I was proud of the way our team fought and scrapped. The more we can build on that and have more minutes played the way we played in desperation mode in the second half, we are going to be okay.” - Raptors head coach Dwane Casey on his team refusing to fold in the third quarter
By The Numbers
34 - Trips to the line for the Cavaliers, compared to just 17 for the Raptors. Cleveland made 25 of their 34 attempts, while the Raptors converted on 16 of 17 free throws. Toronto had just nine free throws attempted through three quarters.
15 - Fourth-quarter points for LeBron James who finished the game with 29 points, 14 assists and six rebounds.
18 - Points scored in the second quarter for the Raptors. Cleveland scored 29 in the quarter to build on a three-point lead after the opening quarter to take a 57-43 advantage at the half.
9 - Number of turnovers for each team, with the Cavs scoring 14 points off giveaways vs. 11 for the Raptors
15 - 3-pointers allowed by the Raptors in defeat, an opponent season high.
They Said It
“We fought and got back in the game, especially being down 19. We just couldn’t get critical stops. LeBron [James] picks and chooses his spots and they knocked down shots.” - DeMar DeRozan on a close fourth quarter
"We expected a hard game. We made it easy for a while but they came back in great fashion, and then we showed poise and maturity when we had to because that game easily could have gotten away from us, but we didn’t allow it to, so good result for us." - Cavs head coach David Blatt on his team's win
“Huge, the fans were great. It should be a reminder. The way guys got back in the game against one of the top teams in the league and competed, that’s what you’re playing for, the fans. It’s about playing with that type of emotion and desperation. They deserve that type of play, but for longer periods of time. ” - Casey on the energy inside Air Canada Centre
Up Next
The Raptors will kick off a three-game road trip with a Friday night contest against the Charlotte Hornets at 7 PM ET (Sportsnet ONE, TSN 1050).