Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 takeaways from 2018-19 season opener
By Ryan Piers
The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped their 2018-19 season opener to the Toronto Raptors, but it wasn’t all bad. Here are three takeaways from game one.
The Cleveland Cavaliers‘ 2018-19 season began with a punch to the gut as the squad fell 116-104 to the NBA’s only team north of the border.
Buoyed by a raucous Scotiabank Arena crowd, the Toronto Raptors actually came out a bit sluggish against an aggressive, young Cavaliers bunch. A late first-half run eventually sparked the Raptors to the win.
Kevin Love led the Cavaliers with 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists. George Hill played well, finishing with 15 points and seven assists, while Tristan Thompson gobbled up a team-high 13 rebounds. Cedi Osman surprised fans with a double-double, going for 17 points and 10 rebounds.
It was a somewhat predictable first 48 minutes of the season: Cleveland came out with plenty of energy and showed positive signs, but Toronto was just too talented and more mature. It will likely be a repeating story for the unseasoned Cavs as head coach Tyronn Lue and company navigate the post-LeBron James era.
It also didn’t help that Larry Nance Jr. and J.R. Smith were sidelined.
Despite the loss, there are important takeaways, both positive and negative, from the game. Here are a few.