Basketball Daily Dose: Dose: Can you feel the Love?
Cavaliers destroy Raptors 116-78 for 3-2 lead in series
The Cavaliers got off to a hot start in Wednesday’s Game 5 and then went on a 23-4 run to open up a record-setting 31-point lead at halftime in a blowout against the Raptors. The 31-point halftime lead was a Conference Finals record, as well as the greatest deficit the Raptors have ever faced after two quarters. Additionally, LeBron James is now just one win away from his sixth straight Finals appearance. Despite two ugly losses in Toronto, the Cavaliers have won their three games in this series by a total of 88 points.
Kevin Love, who was a bit iffy with a sprained ankle and had been struggling, looked fantastic, hitting 8-of-10 shots and three 3-pointers for 25 points, two rebounds, two assists, a steal and two blocks to lead the Cavaliers. He, like most of the other starters, didn’t even play in the fourth quarter last night. LeBron had 23 points, six boards, eight dimes, two steals, a block and a two 3-pointers on 10-of-17 shooting, and Kyrie Irving hit 9-of-17 shots and a 3-pointer for 23 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in one of the most lopsided wins you’ll ever see. Tristan Thompson had nine points, 10 boards, a steal and a block, and J.R. Smith added seven points, six rebounds and four steals in the win. The Cavaliers defense froze Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, and the Raptors never had a chance in this one.
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From the bench, Richard Jefferson scored 11 with six rebounds and a 3-pointer, Channing Frye had seven points, a 3-pointer and a block, and James Jones scored five points in the win.
The Raptors starters were pretty brutal in Game 5, as DeRozan scored 14 points on 2-of-8 shooting and Lowry was 5-of-12 for 31 points, six assists and five turnovers. That’s where the ‘good news’ ended, as Luis Scola and Bismack Biyombo each scored seven points, and DeMarre Carroll hit just 2-of-7 shots for five points in the beat down. Biyombo had just four rebounds after racking up 40 of them in his previous two games, both in the friendly confines of Toronto.
Lowry and DeRozan were the only Raps in double figures, while Jonas Valanciunas finally played through his ankle injury to score nine points with zero rebounds and zero blocks in 18 minutes. Dorell Wright and Norman Powell each scored six points, while Patrick Patterson managed just three points and a 3-pointer with nothing else in 19 minutes. James Johnson was also bad, failing to score a point in 11 minutes. This game was basically unwatchable and I can only hope that you didn’t load up on Raptors in DFS.
Game 6 is Friday night in Toronto at 8:30 on ESPN.
Warriors vs. Thunder
The Warriors host the Thunder in a must-win situation on Thursday night at 9 p.m. on TNT. OKC owns a 3-1 lead in the series and the Warriors will have to win Game 5 at home, Game 6 on the road, and Game 7 in Oracle if they’re going to (likely) face the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
The Warriors are coming off a 118-94 blowout loss, preceded by a 133-105 drilling at the hands of the Thunder. They should be much better at home and simply have to find a way to slow down Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant tonight, along with getting Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green back on track. The odds are clearly stacked against the Warriors, who have not lost three straight games all season. The true story is that the Thunder look like they want it more than the Warriors, so it will take a maximum effort from GSW if they’re going to get back to OKC for Game 6.
