NBA Playoffs! Round 2, Game 3: Toronto Raptors 103 - Cleveland Cavaliers 105 (CLE 3-0)

[golden]

I doubt this group would be able to run a zone properly. Mavs could because they had high IQ players. Kidd, Marion and Chandler were all great defenders. Dirk wasn't, but he is as high IQ as it gets.

Pacers defended the Cavs superbly. Is Lance Stephenson suddenly a high IQ player? And CoJo?

[A.I]

Pacers defended the Cavs superbly. Is Lance Stephenson suddenly a high IQ player? And CoJo?

Lance is a good defender when he puts his mind to it, but hes just crazy and more of an annoying opponent. Oladipo, Young and Myles are all solid defenders though.

[white men can't jump]

I doubt this group would be able to run a zone properly. Mavs could because they had high IQ players. Kidd, Marion and Chandler were all great defenders. Dirk wasn't, but he is as high IQ as it gets.

Zone D is not that complicated. And it's usually easier for poor defenders to execute.

[hotfuzz]

NBA should just give us cavs first round next season. Might as well get rid of all the hope and the pretenders first thing in playoffs.

[Deems]

Say what you want about Lance he's the reason Indiana had the confidence to go at LeBron. He seems crazy to some but I respect him for not giving a fuck who Lebron is. Of course he can't slow him down but he doesn't back down. Indiana played like they wanted to kill and that attitude is what this entire team is lacking. They ain't go no manhood in em, they're boys. End of story.

[hotfuzz]

Who you guys rooting for now? I got Utah. They're fun to watch and play with heart, unlike the Raptors.

[Since95]

Say what you want about Lance he's the reason Indiana had the confidence to go at LeBron. He seems crazy to some but I respect him for not giving a fuck who Lebron is. Of course he can't slow him down but he doesn't back down. Indiana played like they wanted to kill and that attitude is what this entire team is lacking. They ain't go no manhood in em, they're boys. End of story.

Agree with the sentiment, but Lance is a psychopath. We can have the courage without the insanity. Any semblance of pride this game would make me feel A LOT better.

[inthepaint]

Pacers defended the Cavs superbly.

They did, because defence is more about focus, hunger, and grit, then anything else. Sure you can learn defence fundamentals, like proper close outs, verticality etc., but at the end of the day it comes down to heart and sweat. Raptors didn't have any of that yesterday.

Losing last year sucked but at least you could find some solace on the fact that it was because the cavs with Kyrie & co..had much more firepower from 3, and there was very little you could possibly do to compensate for that. This year, cavs got worse, and we got better by modernizing the offence.

But because we decided to be soft on defence on the most important game of the year, we hand it over on a silver platter. Having the team that can finally beat them , but not having the chest hair to do it on the defensive end is the true gut wrenching punch.

We should've come out spitting fire after they stole the first one in OT. It was the opposite. I've seen we play smothering defence against difficult teams this year, including Houston, Milwaukee, Golden State, and Boston with Kyrie. But this. This didn't even feel like a playoff game, let alone a do-or-die game. If Lebron is prancing around like that to the point it's affecting the team's morale, get him on the ground. Commit a hard foul, get a tech, do something. Don't need to hurt anyone of course, but shit, get under his skin. Break their momentum somehow.

In vacuum, I could rationalize the Raptors beating the cavs twice in a row on the road. We got the team to do it this year. But seeing what they allowed the cavs do to them mentally, that's certainly not happening.

[sanyo]

Problem with Raps is the refs are generally bias agaianst them and get called fouls like no ones business -- so if they try to play dirty, the refs will call it.

Raps had 24 fouls called on them in game 2, Cavs only 14.

It's tough to win when you foul that much more than the other team -- your damned if you dont, your damned if you do.

Raps will always have the ref bias issue to deal with... we all know the NBA doesnt want the Raps ever in the finals cause of ratings... but Im not trying to make excuses, the Raps look scared shitless against Lebron...

[sanyo]

Wonder if Raps can somehow get kawhi leonard, it would change the course of this team...a guy who could legit give Lebron problems and be that true defensive guy we need who comes up big in the playoffs.

Send Demar back with pick(s) and a young guy like OG (who wouldnt be needed if Kawhi came here)... or any young guy the Spurs want. Hell give them 2 young guys like OG and Poeltl.

Kyle and Kawhi could play well together. Demar is too soft and weak... cant stretch the floor...cant play D.

I wonder...

[sanyo]

Who you guys rooting for now? I got Utah. They're fun to watch and play with heart, unlike the Raptors.

We need to draft a guy like Donovan Mitchell -- easier said then done but the only way we can ever get a true superstar.. or possibly a trade if somehow, someway, the Raps can land Kawhi

We have pieces we can send back to the Spurs like Demar, OG, Poeltl, some picks, etc...

But yeah Im rooting for Utah.. tho they may become that team we hate eventually like Golden State lol

[rocwell]

"He said he was going to do that. He actually called his shots this morning."

Kevin Love on LeBron James.#GameTime pic.twitter.com/FKXaIJk6Zl

— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 4, 2018

[Scraptor]

They did, because defence is more about focus, hunger, and grit, then anything else. Sure you can learn defence fundamentals, like proper close outs, verticality etc., but at the end of the day it comes down to heart and sweat. Raptors didn't have any of that yesterday.

Losing last year sucked but at least you could find some solace on the fact that it was because the cavs with Kyrie & co..had much more firepower from 3, and there was very little you could possibly do to compensate for that. This year, cavs got worse, and we got better by modernizing the offence.

But because we decided to be soft on defence on the most important game of the year, we hand it over on a silver platter. Having the team that can finally beat them , but not having the chest hair to do it on the defensive end is the true gut wrenching punch.

We should've come out spitting fire after they stole the first one in OT. It was the opposite. I've seen we play smothering defence against difficult teams this year, including Houston, Milwaukee, Golden State, and Boston with Kyrie. But this. This didn't even feel like a playoff game, let alone a do-or-die game.

Defense is affected by motivation but to be a good defensive player you also need lateral quickness, the right physical makeup, and instincts.

Victor Oladipo was 2nd of 107 shooting guards in defensive RPM this year. DeMar was 82nd. That isn't just about motivation. After all this time in the NBA, thinking that it's just about motivation is like thinking Andrea Bargnani was just lazy.

We're in all likelihood going to lose to a lower seed for the fourth time in five years, in the most ignominious fashion possible.

You can say it was a lack of heart but I think it was a lack of basic talent.

The fact that we surrendered was just an acknowledgement that we simply aren't good enough.

[Zainab]

Defense is affected by motivation but to be a good defensive player you also need lateral quickness, the right physical makeup, and instincts.

Victor Oladipo was 2nd of 107 shooting guard in defensive RPM this year. DeMar was 82nd. That isn't just about motivation. After all this time in the NBA, thinking that it's just about motivation is like thinking Andrea Bargnani was just lazy.

We're in all likelihood going to lose to a lower seed for the fourth time in five years, in the most ignominious fashion possible.

You can say it was a lack of heart but I think it was a lack of basic talent.

The fact that we surrendered was just an acknowledgement that we simply aren't good enough.

+1

[suspenders]

Defense is affected by motivation but to be a good defensive player you also need lateral quickness, the right physical makeup, and instincts.

Victor Oladipo was 2nd of 107 shooting guard in defensive RPM this year. DeMar was 82nd. That isn't just about motivation. After all this time in the NBA, thinking that it's just about motivation is like thinking Andrea Bargnani was just lazy.

We're in all likelihood going to lose to a lower seed for the fourth time in five years, in the most ignominious fashion possible.

You can say it was a lack of heart but I think it was a lack of basic talent.

The fact that we surrendered was just an acknowledgement that we simply aren't good enough.

well, this just made my day. /sadfeelz