2018 Playoffs

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Toronto Raptors (0-3) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (3-0)

The Raptors dropped a 105-103 decision to the Cavaliers in Game 3 as LeBron James banked in a running one-hander as time expired. The game was a roller coaster for Toronto. The Raptors trailed by double digits in the opening quarter, but fought all the way back only to unravel in the final minutes of the first half to take a 15-point deficit into the locker room. In the second half, Toronto trimmed a point off the lead in the third quarter to head into the fourth trailing by 14 points. They mounted a furious comeback in the final frame, outscoring Cleveland 38-26, with OG Anunoby tying the game at 103 with eight seconds remaining on the clock. James received the inbounds pass, dribbled down the court and drilled his shot as the buzzer sounded to give the Cavaliers a 3-0 series lead.

Injury report: The injury report is currently clear for both teams.

Bottling the fourth: The Raptors enter Game 4 with a single mission: Win or start the offseason earlier than desired. After losing each of the first three games a different way, the one thing to take from the loss in Game 3 is how the team played in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Cavs 38-26, as they came back from a 14-point deficit, and were a LeBron James buzzer beater away from forcing overtime.

OG ready: Rookie OG Anunoby has been fantastic these playoffs. After a solid rookie campaign, starting 64 of 72 regular-season games played in his first season, Anunoby has upped his game in his first postseason experience on both ends of the floor. In Game 3, in addition to guarding LeBron James on the defensive end, Anunoby scored a playoff career-high 18 points on 7-for-12 field goals, including 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. His game-tying three with eight seconds remaining came with zero hesitation.

Turnover's mounting: Though the Raptors helped to force Cleveland into 12 turnovers, more than Cleveland's combined turnovers in Games 1 and 2, the Raptors still turned the ball over 17 times, leading to another 18 points scored by the Cavaliers. In three games this series, Cleveland is outscoring Toronto 52-19 on points off turnovers.

FVV hive: Fred VanVleet moved into the starting lineup for Game 3. This wasn't just his first playoff start, but the first start of his NBA career. Though he struggled from the floor, hitting just 2-of-9 field goals and finishing with a modest stat line of eight points and two assists, VanVleet's presence was a positive for the Raptors who were a team-high +14 in his 33 minutes.

Lowry leads the way: Through three games, Kyle Lowry is leading the Raptors offensively, averaging 22 points per game. He's been extremely efficient as well, shooting 63 percent from the floor, 50 percent from beyond the arc and 86 percent from the free throw line. In 38.2 minutes per game against the Cavaliers, Lowry is also averaging 8.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 4.8 rebounds per game.

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2018 Playoffs: Game 4 Preview - Raptors at Cavaliers

Toronto Raptors (0-2) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (2-0)

Broadcast info: ABC, Sportsnet One, TSN1050

The Cavaliers rolled to a 128-110 Game 2 victory behind a monster performance from LeBron James to take a 2-0 series lead. After the Raptors led through the first half for the second consecutive game, James and the Cavaliers exploded in the third quarter to take control of the game. James finished with 43 points and 14 assists and Kevin Love added 31 points and 11 rebounds. The Raptors were led by DeMar DeRozan's 24 points, while Kyle Lowry had 21 points on 7-for-10 shooting.

On the road again: After dropping the first two games in the series, things now shift to Cleveland where Games 3 and 4 will be played. The Raptors are the only team in the NBA that has not dropped three consecutive games this season. Toronto is 6-0 following back-to-back losses this season.

Third quarter push: In Game 2, Toronto led by as many as nine points in the half, before Cleveland trimmed the deficit to two points at the break. The Raptors shot 59 percent in the half, to 55 percent for the Cavaliers. Things flipped in the third quarter when Cleveland outscored Toronto 37-24, shooting 73 percent as Toronto's field goal percentage dipped to 47 percent. The Cavaliers had 16 made field goals in the quarter, compared to nine for Toronto as they went from down two at the half to ahead by 11 heading into the fourth.

Limiting turnovers:  For the second straight game, the Cavaliers have had a significant advantage in points scored off turnovers. After a 21-4 edge in Game 1, the Raptors gave Cleveland 13 points off 11 turnovers in Game 2. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, turned the ball over just three times, leading to four points scored by Toronto. In the first two games combined, Cleveland is outscoring the Raptors 34-8 on points scored off turnovers.

Double-double: Jonas Valanciunas had another double-double in Game 2 with 16 points and 12 rebounds. This follows his 21-point, 21-rebound performance in Game 1, which was the first 20-20 playoff game in Raptors franchise history. Valanciunas is averaging 14.8 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in the postseason.

Ready for Saturday: Of course the Raptors would have preferred to not be on the road trailing 0-2 with games 3 and 4 to be played in Cleveland, but a rocky start doesn't change the realities of a seven-game series. The Raptors are looking at Game 3 and Game 3 only for the time being. "We've been in tough situations before, and sometimes when you're put in tough situations that's what brings the best out of you," DeMar DeRozan said. "That's what point we're at now. It's the first team to win four. We understand where we at, and we're going to fight."

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2018 Playoffs: Game 3 Preview - Raptors at Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers (1-0) @ Toronto Raptors (0-1)

Broadcast info: ESPN, Sportsnet One, TSN1050

The Raptors dropped Game 1 in a 113-112 decision in overtime on Tuesday night. After Toronto led throughout, the Cavaliers took their first lead of the game in overtime, on a three-pointer from Kyle Korver. Though the Raptors had opportunities in both overtime and the end of regulation, they could not convert on multiple attempts and suffered a disappointing Game 1 defeat on their home floor. LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds, J.R Smith added 20 points and Kyle Korver scored 19 points. The Raptors were led by Jonas Valanciunas, who had a 21-point, 21-rebound double-double, DeMar DeRozan who had 22 points, and Kyle Lowry who scored 18 points to go with 10 assists.

Game 2: The Raptors are 6-1 when playing Game 2 on their home floor and they have also won their last four Game 2's at the Air Canada Centre. After getting off to a great start in Game 1, Toronto wants to feed off its home crowd and do the same on Thursday as they look to even up the series.

Locked in: Despite dropping Game 1 in disappointing fashion, the Raptors came to practice on Wednesday with confidence high, the group focused on getting ready for Thursday's Game 2. "The biggest thing is just remaining confident in what we are doing," C.J. Miles said. "We did a lot of good things, and we feel like a lot of things we can clean up and do better."

Frustrating fourth: The Raptors were outscored 23-18 in the fourth quarter. After shooting 53 percent through the first three quarters, Toronto shot just 21 percent in the final frame, and missed its final 11 field goals in regulation, despite getting solid looks at the basket and plenty of opportunities to convert. "You ever see the movie 6th Man?" DeMar DeRozan said. "It was like somebody was sitting on the rim, Antoine {from the movie] was sitting on the rim, knocking them out. It sucked. But we had a lot of great looks. I thought my putback was good, CJ's, JV's. CJ's three was a walk in, dead wide open three-point shot that we will live with every day of the week. And I told him that. Like I said, just Antoine sitting up there, knocking the ball out."

Taking care of the ball: One area the Raptors beat themselves in Game 1 was turnovers. Toronto turned the ball over 14 times on Tuesday, giving the Cavaliers 21 points. Making things worse for the Raptors was that Cleveland only committed six turnovers in the game, leading to just four points scored by the Raptors. In a one-point game, that's a 17-point differential in points scored off turnovers. "Tighten up, just clean things up is where we are at," Fred VanVleet said. "One-possession game, one-point game, any one of those 200 possessions could have been the difference. We've got to be better ourselves."

FVV from deep: After a season of hitting big shots for the Raptors, Fred VanVleet had two opportunities from beyond the arc— one in regulation and another in overtime — to put Toronto ahead in Game 1. VanVleet came up empty on both attempts assisted by DeMar DeRozan. "I told him if we're in that same situation again, [I'd] make the same exact pass," DeRozan said after the game. "It's not just me trusting him, every single guy on this team, [and the] coaching staff trusts him in the moments, that's why he's in the game late in the game. He got tough skin, he's going to bounce back, respond from it, [and] I still have the utmost confidence in him."

VanVleet was asked about taking and missing late-game shots when he spoke to the media on Wednesday. His response illustrated why his teammates and coaching staff feel so strongly about him.

"I've got thick skin," he said. "I'm going to take those shots every time. If you don't want me to take them, don't put me out there, don't pass it to me, because it's going up to me if it does and it's the right shot. When you make it, you're the hero. When you don't, you suck. That's what makes making them that great. The pain of missing them and the agony of having to sit through the night and sit on that until the next chance to go out and play, those highs and lows of the game is what makes the game so great."

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2018 Playoffs: Game 2 Preview - Raptors vs. Cavaliers

Cleveland Cavaliers (0-0) @ Toronto Raptors (0-0)

The Raptors were 1-2 against the Cavaliers in three meetings during the regular season. In their only meeting at the Air Canada Centre, Toronto dominated from beginning to end, defeating Cleveland 133-99 behind an 18-for-42 performance from beyond the arc. The remaining two games in Cleveland — both Cavs victories — were much closer. On Mar. 21, Cleveland defeated Toronto 132-129, thanks to a 35-point, 17-assist performance from LeBron James. On Apr. 3, the Cavs earned a 112-106 decision with James again leading the way, scoring 27 points, while Kevin Love added 18 points and 15 rebounds, and Jose Calderon added 19 points.

Familiar foe: This is the third consecutive year that the Raptors will face the Cavaliers in the postseason. During the 2016 playoffs, the Cavaliers defeated Toronto 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Last season, Cleveland completed a four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Cavaliers have been to the Finals for the past three seasons, with James led-teams (Miami and Cleveland) having made it there for the previous seven consecutive seasons.

Home court: The Raptors enter this series 3-0 at home this postseason. This continues the success the team saw on its home floor during the regular season where the Raptors finished 34-7, an NBA-best. In three meetings with the Cavaliers in the postseason, this will be the first time Toronto starts the series on its home floor as the higher seed. "All year, you fight to be No. 1 for that home court advantage," DeMar DeRozan said.

Points on the board: DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors offensively in the first round, averaging a career-high 28.8 points against the Washington Wizards. He also set a new postseason career-high for points in a game, scoring 37 points in Toronto's Game 2 victory. He enters this series already holding the record for most 30-point games in the postseason in franchise history (13).

OG ready: Though the Raptors will be using multiple defenders on LeBron James, rookie OG Anunoby will get his opportunity to try to slow the four-time MVP. In Toronto's first-round series against the Wizards, Anunoby started every game, and showed zero sign of postseason nerves. Raptors head coach Dwane Casey expects that calm to continue into the semifinals. "He's a mature young man," Casey said. "I don't think he's going to get rattled as far as the moment. In the first series against Washington, he did not get rattled. He was cool and under control in what he did. His thought process, he had attention to detail. He made mistakes, but for the most part his attention to detail was like a veteran player. That's the only thing you can ask for from a young player."

Bench mob mindset: Though DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas, the three longest-tenure Raptors, led the way in Round 1 against the Wizards, Toronto's bench figures to factor prominently in the second round.  In the regular season, the bench mob finished fourth in the league, averaging 41.8 points per game. Though production dipped in Round 1 as Fred VanVleet missed four of six games (and appeared in just three minutes of Game 2 with a sore shoulder), his return in a close-out Game 6 performance coincided with the bench having its strongest showing of the season.

VanVleet credited Indiana for how hard they played against the Cavs in their seven-game first round series. He also praised James, before sharing his mindset, when it comes to facing one of the best players in the league. "I respect the guy a lot, the type of player he is, obviously, the person is," VanVleet said. "But for me, the most respect I can give him is to not give him any respect, in terms of going out there and just trying to challenge him and take him down, and that's our job, and that's what we need to do this week."

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2018 Playoffs: Game 1 Preview - Raptors vs. Cavaliers

The Toronto Raptors will continue the 2018 NBA Playoffs by facing the Cleveland Cavaliers in an Eastern Conference semifinals series beginning Tuesday, May 1 at Air Canada Centre. Game 1 is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. and will be televised on TSN in Canada and TNT in the United States. Game 2 will be played Thursday, May 3 with the tip off scheduled for 6 p.m. Game 2 will be broadcast on Sportsnet in Canada and ESPN in the United States. The series will shift to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland for Games 3 and 4 with both games starting at 8:30 p.m.

This marks the third consecutive season the Raptors and Cavaliers will face each other in the playoffs. Tickets are available for purchase by visiting Raptors.com or TicketMaster.com.

TORONTO RAPTORS 2018 PLAYOFFS – ROUND TWO

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Raptors Eastern Conference Semifinals Schedule

A layup from Kyle Lowry put Toronto ahead by 10 with 1:55 remaining. After trailing by five to open the fourth, the Raptors outscored Washington 29-14 in the final quarter to pick up a 102-92 victory and close out the series 4-2.

Sub-optimal start: Things did not go as the Raptors would have liked in the opening 12 minutes in Washington. Toronto shot just 35 percent in the first quarter, giving up 30 points to the Wizards, as they trailed by 10 after one. Mike Scott led all scorers with eight in the quarter while Bradley Beal added seven for the Wizards.

Settling in: The Raptors offence came alive in the second quarter, with Toronto shooting 62 percent from the floor while holding the Wizards to 44 percent shooting. Kyle Lowry had a strong second quarter effort, leading all scorers with 10 points. Washington shot just 1-for-7 from deep in the quarter, and allowed Toronto to close the half on an 11-4 run to trim a 10-point lead to three at the break.

Taking over: After a close third quarter where Washington outscored Toronto 25-23, the Raptors went into the fourth trailing by five. With the opportunity to close out the series on the road, and perhaps earn an extra day or two of rest, the bench went to work. The bench mob started the quarter and outscored Washington 14-7 to take a three-point lead before the first fourth-quarter substitutions for Toronto. Kyle Lowry, Jonas Valanciunas and DeMar DeRozan also played fourth quarter minutes and the combo of starters and reserves stepped it up on both ends of the floor, outscoring Washington 29-14 in the fourth.

Kyle Lowry had 24 points in 32 minutes. He shot 9-for-15 from the floor, 3-for-7 from beyond the arc and 3-for-4 from the free throw line. He added six rebounds, six assists and two steals. All series, Lowry has brought it on both ends of the floor.

Fred VanVleet made his return to the floor and his impact was immediate. VanVleet played 19 minutes, scoring five points to go with four rebounds and four assists, but it was his presence more than his statline that made the difference. When VanVleet was on the floor, the Raptors were a +12. The only player with a better +/- was Pascal Siakam, who was +18, and Siakam was at his best when sharing the floor with VanVleet.

"We want to enjoy it. Celebrate it until midnight. I told the guys, we've got bigger fish to fry. We still have some playoff series to go, hopefully. We've got to keep our mind on our business."- Dwane Casey on the victory, and closing out the series

7... The Raptors only had seven turnovers in the game, leading to five points for the Wizards. In comparison, the Wizards turned the ball over 14 times, leading to 17 points scored by the Raptors.

47... Rebounds for the Raptors, 42 for the Wizards. Toronto also held a 16-11 edge on the offensive boards.

14... Points, 12 rebounds, two blocks for Jonas Valanciunas who set a franchise record for most playoff double-doubles in the previous Raptors' win.

56... Points in the paint for Toronto compared to 32 for the Wizards.

"In my humble opinion, he's the coach of the year." - Washington head coach Scott Brooks on Dwane Casey and the job he's done with the Raptors this season

"It was great to have the full bench back, to have Freddie back out there with them guys. That was big, I think that changed the momentum for us once he came in the game, the way the bench played in the fourth quarter defensively and offensively. It's something that they've been doing all year, it was great for us to be able to see that, it was just a testament to what they did all year carrying over to the playoffs."- DeMar DeRozan on the impact of Fred VanVleet

"I asked him, did you need Fred that badly? Does Fred mean that much to you? As soon as you put Fred in, Pascal just blossomed."- Dwane Casey joking about the positive effect Fred VanVleet had on Pascal Siakam's game

"He's been fantastic. I think Coach has done a good job of making sure everyone gets their fair share of minutes when they earn them, and going with guys when they're rolling. There have been games when we haven't gone back in, or JV doesn't play in the fourth, or Lucas plays the fourth, or Delon. The overall confidence we have in our group, Coach has instilled in us that this is a team and it's not about individuals. It's about team success. It's the one thing he's consistency done: Preach team-first and hard work. We all appreciate the hard work each guy does in the gym. So when we're in this situation, if they're playing well and get a chance to play, they're going to play hard."- Kyle Lowry with praise for Dwane Casey and how he's used the team's depth

The Raptors await the winner of the Indiana/Cleveland series, with Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to be played at the Air Canada Centre, date and time TBD.

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2018 Playoffs: Game 6 Recap - Raptors 102, Wizards 92

Toronto Raptors (3-2) @ Washington Wizards (2-3)

The Raptors defeated the Wizards 108-98 at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday to take a 3-2 series lead. DeMar DeRozan had a game-high 32 points to lead the Raptors, who pulled away in the fourth quarter to get the victory. Kyle Lowry scored 17 points to go with 10 assists, and Delon Wright scored 18 points off the bench, including 11 in the fourth quarter, when Toronto outscored Washington 29-20 and closed the game on a 26-11 run. John Wall led the Wizards with 26 points, while Bradley Beal added 20 points.

Injury report: For the Raptors, Fred VanVleet (sore right shoulder) is questionable. For the Wizards, Jodie Meeks is not with the team as he is serving a league suspension.

On the road again: After dropping their previous two games in this series on the road, the Raptors are back in Washington with an opportunity to close out their first-round series. A year ago, in the 2017 playoffs,Toronto won a Game 6 on the road in Milwaukee to close out the series 4-2 in the first-round.

Bounce back: Wednesday's Game 6 victory was a bounce back game for the Raptors, after they dropped two straight games against the Wizards in Washington, allowing the Wizards to tie the series at 2 games apiece heading back to Toronto. With Wednesday's victory, giving Toronto a 3-2 series lead, the Raptors continued their streak of not losing three consecutive games at any point this season. They are the only team in the NBA to not have three straight losses.

Double-double time: Jonas Valanciunas had a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double in Game 5. This was his 13th postseason double-double and it moved him ahead of Antonio Davis into sole possession of the franchise record for most playoff double-doubles in franchise history.

Wright way: Delon Wright's 18 points off the bench matched his playoff career-high, set during Toronto's Game 1 victory  against the Wizards. Wright shot 6-for-10 from the floor, 2-for-2 from the three-point line and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. In five games against the Wizards this season, Wright is averaging 12 points off the bench.

Battle on the boards: Though the Raptors were victorious in Game 5, they were thoroughly outplayed by the Wizards on the boards. Washington out-rebounded Toronto 50-35, including 14-6 on the offensive glass. After the game, Kyle Lowry pointed out the rebounding disparity when speaking with the media. Dwane Casey addressed it a day later when the team practiced in Toronto before heading to Washington.

"We've got to do a better job of rebounding 50/50 balls," Casey said. "We've got to get out and be on our toes, ready, bouncy and go get those long rebounds. It's not just the bigs not rebounding -- we had a couple of those -- but our guards have to come up and clean up the lane, clean up the long rebounds."

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2018 Playoffs: Game 6 Preview - Raptors at Wizards

C.J. Miles drilled a three-pointer with 40.7 seconds remaining to give the Raptors a 13-point lead. From there, Toronto closed out the game at the free throw line, collecting a 108-98 victory to take a 3-2 series lead.

Feeling it out: Things were close throughout on Wednesday. Toronto led by six early, but allowed the Wizards another strong close to a quarter, to give Washington a one-point, 24-23 lead after the opening 12 minutes. DeMar DeRozan led all scorers with 13 points, on 4-of-8 shooting.

Getting back in front: The Raptors won the second quarter, 25-23, thanks to a strong defensive effort that held the Wizards to 33 percent shooting. DeMar DeRozan led all scorers again in the second quarter, scoring seven points, to finish with 20 points in 19 minutes at the half, as Toronto took a 48-47 lead into the locker room for the break.

Keeping the pace: Things didn't loosen up for either team in the third, with both teams scoring 31 points, the Wizards on 61 percent shooting, the Raptors on 55 percent shooting. Toronto made 5-of-9 three-point attempts in the quarter, while the Wizards shot just 1-for-5 from deep in the third. Once again, DeMar DeRozan led the way for the Raptors, scoring 10 in the quarter, as John Wall matched him, also scoring 10 points to lead the Wizards as the Raptors took a 79-78 advantage into the fourth.

Pulling away: The Wizards got off to a quick start in the fourth and a baseline dunk plus the free throw from Kelly Oubre gave Washington a five-point lead with 8:52 remaining. Raptors head coach Dwane Casey subbed in Jonas Valanciunas here, and a lineup of Valanciunas, DeMar DeRozan, C.J Miles, Kyle Lowry and Delon Wright closed the game on a 26-11 run to break the game open and claim the 108-98 victory.

DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 32 points in 39 minutes. He shot 12-for-24 from the floor, 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and 5-for-6 from the free throw line. DeRozan added two rebounds and five assists, and the Raptors were a +15 when he was on the floor.

Delon Wright scored 11 of his 18 points off the bench in the fourth quarter as Toronto pulled away. After being told he passed up open looks in a Game 4 loss, Wright let it fly in Game 5, shooting 6-for-10 from the floor, 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. He added five rebounds, an assist and two steals in 27 minutes.

"I think the biggest thing we did is all five of us communicated and we just got after it. I don't think there was any secrets to it. Guys made shots when it was time to, guys made plays when it was time to. That's pretty much what it is."- C.J. Miles summing up the victory

14... Points, 13 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal for Jonas Valanciunas. When he was on the floor, the Raptors were a team-best +19.

50... Rebounds for the Wizards, 35 for the Raptors. Washington also held a 14-6 edge on the offensive glass. After the game, Kyle Lowry singled this out as something that will need to change in Game 6.

18... Turnovers for the Wizards, compared to 10 for the Raptors. Toronto scored 14 points off Washington's miscues, while the Wizards scored eight points off Toronto's turnovers.

10... Assists to go with 17 points for Kyle Lowry. The Raptors as a team had 26 assists, compared to 21 for the Wizards.

"Every game is a different game. I was just ready to play. I was ready to do my job. My job is to set good screens. We have such good players as DeMar and Kyle who use those screens and make my life much easier if I set a good screen. I'm gonna get open. Just doing my job. End of the game, start of the game, it doesn't matter what time it is. I know what I need to do." - Jonas Valanciunas on his performance in the fourth quarter

"100%, you could definitely feel it. It works both ways. though. You've go to to give them a reason to be like that and we give them a reason, we feed off that. It was great to have them behind us, that's what you play all year for, to have that this time of year, in a situation like tonight. Having homecourt advantage. Being able to be here and have them behind us." - C.J. Miles on the crowd in the fourth quarter as the team pulled away

"It was great. Jonas gave us some big minutes in the fourth quarter. We had the match ups that we liked in that situation. I thought Delon Wright did a good job down the stretch, handling the ball, gave us an opportunity for Kyle and DeMar to get off the ball a little bit more, and I thought that was the difference." - Dwane Casey on the lineup he used to close the fourth