Everything Round 2: Toronto Raptors vs Cleveland Cavaliers

[DanH]

Defence has to switch and rotate at a high level. Cavs move the ball very well and want to hit a pile of outside shots, it will be very different than the Bucks. I think that's what you have to limit, that's what would break games open for the Cavs if you let it.

Lebron will get triple doubles, the Raptors have to score like they can against a weak defence.

I actually think it was the same for the Bucks - the only times they really gave the Raptors a run for their money (or ran them out of the building in that one game that definitely never happened) was when they were bombing in threes. They shot 42% from long range, tops in the playoffs so far. One thing the Raptors did manage to do was limit how many threes they took - only 28% of their shots came from three, lowest in the playoffs. A good sign for the Cavs series, IMO. Different team, different beast, but still, good sign.

[golden]

Lebron is gonna get his, but I think the key is containing Kyrie at the point of attack, which is easier said than done. If the Cavs can get the Raps defense scrambling before Lebron gets the ball, then it's game over. Lowry has to step up defensively, big time. Lebron is unflappable these days, but Kyrie and Love tend to get discouraged easily, so we've got to play them hard and take them out of the game mentally.

[CNinja26]

Lebron is gonna get his, but I think the key is containing Kyrie at the point of attack, which is easier said than done. If the Cavs can get the Raps defense scrambling before Lebron gets the ball, then it's game over. Lowry has to step up defensively, big time. Lebron is unflappable these days, but Kyrie and Love tend to get discouraged easily, so we've got to play them hard and take them out of the game mentally.

You nailed it.

We should not double team LeBron. We need to stick our best big, mobile defenders on him (1. PJ, 2. Patterson, 3. Carroll) and they gotta play him man to man and make him shoot twos, make him drive. If he scores, let him have his. We can win if Lebron gets his. We will not win if Lebron, Kyrie and Love all get theirs. We also will not win if LeBron finds Frye, Korver, Love and Smith for open threes b/c God forbid the Raptors actually properly rotate on defense.

[S.R.]

Do the Raps stick with their new starting 5 or does Casey put JV back in? I think he's forced to start JV again.

[CNinja26]

Do the Raps stick with their new starting 5 or does Casey put JV back in? I think he's forced to start JV again.

We need rebounding against TT, so yes, JV's gotta be in there IMO. The one adjustment I'd make is Tucker over Carroll b/c Carroll gets pushed around. Skinny Giannis was having his way with him. I can only imagine what LeBron will do.

[Deems]

More so than anything we have to execute offensively. We need Game 5 offensive execution throughout the whole series to have a shot. Their defense is beatable, going from a Bucks swarming, lengthy defense to the Cav's below average one should be a sigh of relief. Our defense is superior to theirs and I believe we can slow them down to about 100 a night. KYLE LOWRY NEEDS TO MAN THE **** UP and take over Kyrie Irving.

[007]

I think a lineup of Lowry-DD-Powell-Tucker-Ibaka could do well when the Cavs go small, with Tucker and Powell on LeBron and Irving.

[Deems]

Could Raptors get swept?

In true Raptors fashion, the team put the fans through an emotional roller coaster that may have turned some to self medicating alcoholics and others sent to the doctor to check-up on their mental health. With that said a series win is a series win... So it's off to Cleveland to face the defending champions once more. Will the king of the east finally be dethroned? Or will the Raptors lay down and allow history to repeat itself?

Let the predictions, thoughts, and worries begin..

In my heart I think we will win in 7; however my brain and utter pessimistic nature tells me we lose in 6 again. I need some positive reinforcement here.

[DanH]

I think a lineup of Lowry-DD-Powell-Tucker-Ibaka could do well when the Cavs go small, with Tucker and Powell on LeBron and Irving.

Yep! This team is built to match up with the Cavs - a dominant rebounder in JV to play against TT, a pair of rangy defensive PF's to take on Love and play backup C against Frye, two tough wing defenders in Tucker and Carroll to hound LBJ all game long, solid guard defenders off the bench in Powell and CoJo to hound their shooters, and two all star scorers at the positions of greatest weakness for the Cavs (Kyrie and Smith) and who love to attack in the PnR (where the Cavs' big men, Love and Frye in particular, are less than great).

If anyone in the East is going to beat LeBron, this Raps team makes the most sense to be the ones to do it.

[DanH]

Do the Raps stick with their new starting 5 or does Casey put JV back in? I think he's forced to start JV again.

I think you have to. Not just because the Raps need JV to keep TT off the boards, but they also can't have Powell covering one of TT/Love/LBJ.

There should be lots of times where the Cavs go small to get Powell some minutes, but against their starting lineup is not one of those times.

The other alternative would be to start Pat in Powell's place - but that still means to find JV minutes you are matching him up against Frye, which seems like a bad idea (unless you are going to attack him in the post, which based on the Thon experience they certainly would not). You'll need a decent chunk of PF minutes from Ibaka and Pat covering Love there, so you can't slide the entire rotation down a slot to absorb minutes JV can't fill - need to get him minutes when you can, against the Cavs' bigger lineups. Which is basically just their starting unit.

[S.R.]

Have to put my fan hat on and go Raps in 7.

[DanH]

Raps in 7, no doubt about it.

[tDotted]

I think a lineup of Lowry-DD-Powell-Tucker-Ibaka could do well when the Cavs go small, with Tucker and Powell on LeBron and Irving.

Powell wouldl probably have to match up with Love

[hotfuzz]

Cavs in 6.

[S.R.]

I think you have to. Not just because the Raps need JV to keep TT off the boards, but they also can't have Powell covering one of TT/Love/LBJ.

There should be lots of times where the Cavs go small to get Powell some minutes, but against their starting lineup is not one of those times.

The other alternative would be to start Pat in Powell's place - but that still means to find JV minutes you are matching him up against Frye, which seems like a bad idea (unless you are going to attack him in the post, which based on the Thon experience they certainly would not). You'll need a decent chunk of PF minutes from Ibaka and Pat covering Love there, so you can't slide the entire rotation down a slot to absorb minutes JV can't fill - need to get him minutes when you can, against the Cavs' bigger lineups. Which is basically just their starting unit.

I'm looking forward to the small ball matchups. Hope the Raptors can get a fair amount of Lowry/DD/Powell on the floor, there will be nowhere for the Cavs to hide Irving on defence and Raps should really make a point of going at him hard.