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

[slaw]

And I remain convinced that the answer is not in tactics or personnel or rotations but in simply playing much, much harder and tougher. The only wins the Raps have against the Cavs in 3 years in the playoffs were the two games where they got after the Lebrons, pushed them around and took them out of their game.

Raps were far too casual in game 2 and then they simply gave up. Need to find 7th and 8th gear and stop cruising in fourth playing on the Cavs' terms.

[Maury]

And I remain convinced that the answer is not in tactics or personnel or rotations but in simply playing much, much harder and tougher. The only wins the Raps have against the Cavs in 3 years in the playoffs were the two games where they got after the Lebrons, pushed them around and took them out of their game.

Raps were far too casual in game 2 and then they simply gave up. Need to find 7th and 8th gear and stop cruising in fourth playing on the Cavs' terms.

That may be true but you can’t put CJ on Kevin Love intentionally for more than 1 possession.

[slaw]

You're not wrong, and his desperation tactics from the first two games kind of reflect that. He went small for no reason in both games. In game 1 that meant DD guarding Love. In game 2 it meant Miles. These are adjustments we should never really see, and even Casey didn't seem to try things like guarding a post up player with a SG in the regular season. It's like Casey, much like our all-stars, chokes when faced with playoff pressure, instead of showing poise.

Casey's biggest in-game issue to me (and a few other posters on here point this out all the time), is that he gets a pre-determined plan in his head and sticks with it. He's been better this year at straying from that approach but there's been a couple playoff games where it likely bit them in the ass (game 4 in WSH and game 1 against the Cavs).

[slaw]

That may be true but you can’t put CJ on Kevin Love intentionally for more than 1 possession.

Agreed. But you watch the other playoff series and look at how physical they are. The Jazz, Celtics, etc. They are aggressive and physical against their opponents. Houston crumpled in game 2 against the physicality of Utah. Indy flustered the Cavs by hounding them for 48 minutes.

Did you watch the second half of game 2 in the Celts/Sixers series. Embiid was scared to go to the hole. He was settling for soft hooks, etc. You think any Cavs players is scared to go to the hole against Toronto?

I know this will be dismissed as stupid old school mentality or whatever but this team plays too soft and casually. I guarantee you the genius Brad Stevens is on his guys as much about playing tough than he is about tactics against side screen and rolls.

[The Great One]

Yep. This team is soft as a marshmallow. Their toughest player is prolly VanVleet lol.

Who was the Raptors best player when the Raps beat the Cavs twice in the playoffs 2 years ago? it was Biyombo. You know you're going to get fouled hard whenver you drive the ball inside. Doesn't matter if your name is LeBron James.

Last year everything was so easy for LeBron, this year is no different.

[white men can't jump]

Agreed. But you watch the other playoff series and look at how physical they are. The Jazz, Celtics, etc. They are aggressive and physical against their opponents. Houston crumpled in game 2 against the physicality of Utah. Indy flustered the Cavs by hounding them for 48 minutes.

Did you watch the second half of game 2 in the Celts/Sixers series. Embiid was scared to go to the hole. He was settling for soft hooks, etc. You think any Cavs players is scared to go to the hole against Toronto?

I know this will be dismissed as stupid old school mentality or whatever but this team plays too soft and casually. I guarantee you the genius Brad Stevens is on his guys as much about playing tough than he is about tactics against side screen and rolls.

It's not stupid. Playoffs are always more physical. Most of our guys don't know how to play with that kind of force on either end of the court. JV and Ibaka are the only bigs we have who can (Pascal is too skinny), and JV is really the only one who can flourish in that game.

Obviously tactics matter, but physicality is a huge part of playoff basketball. You can't win losing that battle on both ends.

*Other than JV, our toughest players mentally and physically are probably FVV, OG and Pascal.

[white men can't jump]

Yep. This team is soft as a marshmallow. Their toughest player is prolly VanVleet lol.

Who was the Raptors best player when the Raps beat the Cavs twice in the playoffs 2 years ago? it was Biyombo. You know you're going to get fouled hard whenver you drive the ball inside. Doesn't matter if your name is LeBron James.

Last year everything was so easy for LeBron, this year is no different.

I'm pretty sure game 1 was the best performance anyone on the Raptors has ever done on LeBron, courtesy of OG and Pascal. LeBron isn't going to get scared if you hit him in the lane.

[white men can't jump]

You do need to wear LeBron down, but that's always been more about fatigue than contact. Make him work hard for his own scoring. Don't let his teammates get going, especially when he doesn't have a guy like Irving to take some of the iso-scoring load. They all depend on him. And make him work on D. Make him have to help a lot down low/on the glass. Make him feel like he has to guard your best perimeter guy(s) by them playing hard and smart offensively.

We actually did most of that in game 1. And a few made tips/shots, slightly smarter play/coaching at a few key times, and we win that game.

[DanH]

I agree that changing the rotation isn't the answer. Or at least, changing it by screwing around more than they have. If anything, the answer is to screw around less. Stop playing Miles with the starters. Stop playing transitional lineups. Stop closing with whatever mishmash of players you feel like throwing out there.

Starters. DeMar bench (with FVV, not Wright). Full bench (maybe). Lowry bench. Starters. That's it, that's all. For both halves.

The fix they need is fewer nonsense lineups and a better strategy (or better execution) for not leaving shooters. And ideally Casey will come up with a way to defend that corner action, which is basically the only offence the Cavs get that gives LeBron a breather.

[Shaolin Fantastic]

We've just got to defend way fucking better. The offense is actually there, we've been fine on that end. Gotta get stops.

We really have to stop doubling LeBron and we need to force some turnovers and tough shots from the other players on the team. It's still winnable but a lot needs to change and it needs to change right now.

Ibaka also has to fucking play better.

[planetmars]

I don't know if we need a change in the starting unit.. but if we do I hope its CJ in for Serge. That's the only move that makes any kind of sense. Defense won't dip that much since Cleveland starts small anyway. Have JV beast on Love.. and Miles can cover either Smith or Korver (probably the former) since Kyle did a really good job on Korver in Game 2.

I'd bring Serge in off the bench when Tristan comes in. Poeltl has been pretty crappy in the playoffs.. perhaps Serge's length would help with keeping TT off the boards. Not sure.. but we need to do something about him. If Serge shits the bed than he'll only be helping Cleveland's bench which shouldn't kill us to badly.

[rocwell]

Is everyone ready?

[slaw]

Is everyone ready?

Meh, I have to go to a some sure to be insufferable event tonight so I am missing the game. I won't even really be able to duck out to check scores.

If the Raps win, I promise I won't watch another playoff game....

[hotfuzz]

Is everyone ready?

That guy should be in jail.

[A.I]

Is everyone ready?

I think you just killed Jack Armstrong