Cavs protect home court
- The Cleveland Cavaliers won Game 2 over the Toronto Raptors to protect home court early in their series. (sports.yahoo.com) - The key specific: Yahoo Sports highlights a newly described “potent Cavs trio” driving Cleveland’s advantage. (sports.yahoo.com) - The outlet says Cleveland now looks well placed to close the series sooner rather than later. (sports.yahoo.com)
Cleveland left Rocket Arena with a 2-0 series lead after beating Toronto 115-105 in Game 2 on Monday, April 20. (apnews.com) Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, James Harden added 28, and Evan Mobley had 25 as Cleveland got 83 points from its top three scorers. (apnews.com) Yahoo Sports identified Mitchell, Harden and Mobley as the group driving the matchup, noting that Cleveland’s offense kept flowing even with the bench scoring only 19 points to Toronto’s 45. (sports.yahoo.com) The Cavaliers never trailed in Game 2 and now head to Toronto for Game 3 on Thursday, April 23, with a chance to take full control of the best-of-seven series. (espn.com) Cleveland’s edge has come from shot creation at the top. ESPN reported that Mitchell and Harden combined to score or assist on 78 of the Cavaliers’ 115 points, or 68%, in Game 2. (espn.com) Toronto has had its own scoring problems. Yahoo Sports said Brandon Ingram followed a 17-point Game 1 with seven points on 3-of-15 shooting in Game 2, including zero points in the first half. (sports.yahoo.com) The Raptors also committed 22 turnovers in Game 2, and Yahoo Sports noted that Immanuel Quickley remains out with a strained right hamstring. (sports.yahoo.com) The matchup has tilted Cleveland’s way fast. NBA.com lists the Cavaliers as averaging 120.5 points through two games, while Toronto is at 109.0, with Game 3 set for 8 p.m. Eastern in Toronto. (nba.com) Cleveland has also extended a long playoff run of success against Toronto. ESPN said the Cavaliers’ 12 straight postseason wins over the Raptors match an NBA record for consecutive playoff wins against one opponent. (espn.com)
