Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 takeaways from Game 1 vs. Raptors
By Ryan Piers
The Cleveland Cavaliers snagged a Game 1 victory against the Toronto Raptors after a late comeback. Here are some takeaways from the big win.
That was the perfect LeBron James vs. Toronto Raptors game. Without leading in regulation, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers somehow pulled off the win.
Toronto salted away another game. The devastation in the Raptors’ locker room must be palpable. The Cavaliers partied so loud they could be heard in Akron.
There are so many takeaways from the victory. For one, James still appears to be the Raptors’ kryptonite…but then again, he is like 29 teams’ kryptonite. He didn’t shoot the ball well (12-for-30), but still finished with 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for a triple-double.
Kyle Korver forgot it wasn’t 2013, crafting a vintage performance that saved the Cavs as they began to come undone in the third quarter. He wound up with 19 points and five made 3-pointers.
And how about Cleveland’s supporting staff? Four players not named LeBron scored in double figures, with J.R. Smith becoming the first non-James Cav to score more than 20 points in the postseason and Jeff Green chipping in 16 off the bench.
There is plenty to take away and digest in a game where Cleveland looked sluggish and overmatched for 40 minutes before finding a second gear toward the end of regulation.
There are three takeaways in particular, however, that we need to unpack because they are key points as the series progresses.