After last night, does anyone think that TOR will actually win this series or are they mentally toast?
I do. I think they win it. Just think they are the much better team
They may be, but they just don't match up well with Cleveland. The Raptors and Cavs have now played 3 games since the trade deadline. The Cavs have won all 3. The Raptors just can't stop James and they have no one that can really take advantage of the Cavs main defensive weakness (which is defending against great ball handlers - like Oladipo). I mean the Cavs won the last game coming off of short rest in a game that James was 3 of 12 in the 4th quarter/overtime and Kevin Love was 3 of 13 in the game. Let's say it again, the Cavs won that game. Now I know the Raptors missed like 11 straight shots and 15 of 16 down the stretch (and into overtime), but that just seems to be the normal operating procedure for the Raptors when they play the Cavs.
The Raptors may actually show some stones and win game 2, but I just don't buy it. The Raptors had to win game 1 and they choked the game away (I mean that last possession in regulation with 4 straight misses was stuff of infamy). And the final possession of the game, DeRozan has the ball with a smaller man on him, gets in the lane, and rather than shoot, he passes the ball to Vanvleet. That is the DeRozan way in the playoffs, especially against the Cavs.
While it did seem as if he was able to exorcise at least some of his postseason demons after winning game 1 against the Wizards, and while I stopped watching, last night, but saw the "highlights", lol, I have to agree, here. He had George Hill on him with, what, 6 seconds to go on the shot clock, has the entire side cleared out for him, and instead of opting to go into his MJ/Kobe left shoulder turnaround/fadeaway jumper in the post, the guy elects to drive into traffic and pitch it out to Fred Van Fleet?
Like, WAT?
I mean, I can understand passing in that situation if you're doubled and/or someone is, say, wide open for a layup, or something, but to not take that shot when you've seemingly got every advantage? Wow, just wow.