Cavaliers roll Raptors for starters
The Cleveland Cavaliers were widely expected to roll past the Toronto Raptors in the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals, and Game 1 made those folks smile.
Cleveland pounded Toronto something fierce, leading by 22 points at halftime before cruising to a 115-84 victory at the Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavaliers are now 9-0 in the playoffs this year after crushing both the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks over the first two rounds.
For Cleveland, this night could not have gone any better. The Cavaliers only had to play LeBron James for 28 minutes, with Kyrie Irving getting only 30 minutes of time himself. Both were fantastic while they were on the court, with James shooting 11-of-13 from the floor for 24 points, six rebounds and four assists. Irving was also efficient, hitting on 11-of-17 field goal attempts for a game-high 27 points with five assists.
Ultimately, this willl bode well for the Cavaliers both in the long and short-term. Cleveland should have a fresh group out there for Game 2, with James and Irving getting so much time on the bench following a long layoff (Kevin Love was also saved, playing just 28 minutes in his own right).
Meanwhile, the pounding of Toronto in Game 1 might signal a short series. The Raptors looked helpless defensively while the offense was stagnent for much of the last three quarters. The Raptors actually started the game on a 7-0 and looked good, but the stars couldn’t keep the momentum going. DeMar DeRozan finished the evening with only 18 points albeit on 9-of-17 shooting while Kyle Lowry scored just eight points on 14 shots.
For Toronto, Game 2 becomes a must-win. The Raptors have few believers and should Game 2 mirror tonight, even those folks might start abandoning ship. Toronto has to force the Cavaliers of the three-point line and then clean up on the glass with Bismark Biyombo and Patrick Patterson. Any time Cleveland shoots over 55 percent from the field as it did tonight, Toronto is going to get blown out of the building.
For Cavaliers fans, the beginning of both conference finals series has to be warming the heart. The Golden State Warriors won a single-season record of 73 games and yet lost Game 1 on their home floor to the streaking Oklahoma City Thunder. While the Warriors could certainly come back and take that series in six or seven games, it appears those two teams are readying for a dogfight.
On the flip side, the Cavaliers might literally not lose a game throughout the entire Eastern Conference playoff run.
