3. Second half struggles continue to plague Cleveland
After building up an 11-point lead heading into the half, the Cavaliers were playing so well it looked like Game 7 would turn into a blowout.
Alas, as they’ve done all series, the Pacers stormed back after halftime, outscoring Cleveland 31-22 in the third quarter, even taking a three-point lead for a brief moment before the Cavs came roaring back.
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In the seven-game series, the Pacers outscored the Cavaliers in the second halves by a combined 56 points and still managed to get eliminated.
Chalk it up to a lack of effort or more energy out of Indiana, but Cleveland simply wasn’t able to maintain a lead in the second half, always allowing the Pacers to make a run and turn the games into a tight contest.
While that type of lackadaisical effort might get a pass against a young team like Indiana, the Cavs have to do a much better job in the second half against the veteran-led Raptors.
Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan know what it takes to close big games, and they’ll be more than happy to steal a game or two from James and the Cavaliers if the opportunity presents itself.
Cleveland can’t afford to flip the switch whenever it deems it necessary. Taking out a motivated Raptors squad with homecourt advantage is going to take 100 percent effort for the full 48 minutes. That includes the second half as well.