Toronto Raptors Look To Make More History In Game 6
By Justin Rowan
The Toronto Raptors look to make more history in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and possibly prevent some history from occurring as well.
When the final buzzer sounds Friday, the Toronto Raptors will likely receive one of the largest standing ovations in franchise history.
Win or lose, this team has gone further than anybody expected, overcame a ton of adversity and has helped change the perception of this team around the league. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are no longer the duo that can’t get it done when it counts, doomed to be annual first round fodder.
The Raptors look to improve their 4-0 home record against the Cleveland Cavaliers this season and force a decisive Game 7. There have been many moments in every round of these playoffs that would make a moment like this seem impossible.
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Down against the Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat and demolished in the first two games of the conference finals, the Raptors getting this close to reaching their first ever NBA Finals seemed virtually impossible.
But while the Raptors look to keep adding to their record books and make history, in Game 6 they will need to stop one of the most impressive streaks in postseason history.
LeBron James has won at least one road game in 24 consecutive playoff series, which is tied for most all time with Michael Jordan. A win in Game 6 would send James to his sixth consecutive NBA Finals and put him alone in the record books with his impressive streak.
As we’ve seen in the conference finals, home court is incredibly important in the NBA and that’s what makes James’ streak all the more impressive. That over six years and five NBA Finals, he has managed to take a game on the road. If Toronto wants to keep their season alive, they will need to deny the King of a record he surely is very aware of and values.
Coming off a 38-point loss in Game 5, it’s clear that the Raptors will need to make a few adjustments to keep their season alive. The Cavaliers managed to get back into the last game in Toronto by blitzing the pick-and-roll and forcing both Lowry and DeRozan to give up the ball.
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Early in the series, the Cavs were going under screens and daring the duo to make jumpers. While it worked in Cleveland, it was clear that the two All-Stars had found a rhythm in Toronto and once the floodgates were open, the Cavs had a tough time getting them shut.
By blitzing the pick-and-roll and trapping whenever possible, the Cavs turned Toronto into a turnover machine and accumulated fast break points at a staggering rate. Without a functional outlet option on the Raptors roster, Dwane Casey will need to find a way to free up Lowry and DeRozan to get them easy buckets — potentially with more screens off the ball to prevent the trap up high.
While the list of things Toronto can improve on from Game 5 is essentially everything, cutting down on turnovers, rebounding the ball and controlling the pace of the game should be the highest priority for the Raptors heading into Game 6.
It’s possible that the Cavs have found the answer to their defense and have discovered their outside shot again, but if the Raptors can control those factors they will have a much greater chance at success.
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There may have been questions about whether or not the Toronto Raptors were worthy of a spot in the conference finals after the first two games of the series, but they have shown they belong and can be a force when they are rolling, especially at home. Even if they can’t break LeBron’s streak and force a Game 7, it’ll be hard to deny what a magical season the Raptors have had.