Cavaliers snap Raptors win streak in tightly contested duel
Author of the article:
Mike GanterPublishing date:
Nov 05, 2021 • 35 minutes ago • 5 minute read • Join the conversation
Raptors' OG Anunoby, right, is guarded by Cavaliers' Collin Sexton during first half NBA action at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. Photo by Mark Blinch /Getty Images Article content It has been a while since the Raptors and Cavs was a hotly contested matchup.
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Article contentLeBron James and company controlled the matchup for years and, since his departure, the Raptors have pretty much had their way.
But the arrival of 7-footer Evan Mobley out of USC in this year’s draft and the maturation of Darius Garland and Collin Sexton, not to mention the presence of Jarrett Allen has Cleveland getting plenty of deserved attention these days.
Raptors head coach Nick Nurse spent a chunk of Thursday’s pre-game availability convincing the media this Cavs team was not to be taken lightly and, to the Raptors’ credit, his team did not make that mistake.
The Raptors defensive focus remained on point and it had to be with Mobley and Cedi Osman leading the Cavs charge.
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But what they couldn’t control were the bounces and, in this game, the bounces went definitively in Cleveland’s favour.
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Article contentThis one came right down to the wire with Garland hitting two free throws with just over four seconds remaining to give the Cavs a one-point lead. Toronto had a chance to steal this one in the final seconds, but an OG Anunoby fall-away baseline jumper found iron giving the Cavs the 102-101 win.
Scottie Barnes had a chance to tip it in, but the bounce, as it did most of the night, did not go the Raptors’ way.
“We didn’t get many breaks,†Nurse said. “It seemed like every ball we had kind of cleanly turned into a jump ball quickly or somehow. We didn’t do a very good job of winning any of those. World record for jump balls tonight. Didn’t do us any favours really.â€
Nurse wasn’t quite sure how to feel about a game in which he saw his team compete hard, execute well for the most part, but still come up short.
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Article content“That one felt strange to lose,†he admitted. “I think we played really hard and played pretty well. I just think it was strange. It was a lot of the ball bouncing the wrong way, breaks, a whole string of them and that game’s probably over. We’re up four or six, just one little break goes our way and it’s eight and it’s over. Just didn’t, so, that can happen.â€
It was the first loss in six games for the Raptors as they fell to 6-4. With the win, Cleveland improved to 6-4.
Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. continued to impress defensively with a career-high six-steal night, most of that making life miserable for Cavs season-to-date leading scorer Sexton, who had just two made buckets through three quarters thanks to Trent’s attention and finished the night with just nine points.
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Article contentTrent was no slouch on the other end either with 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting including three of four from behind the arc.
The return in the Norm Powell deal a year ago has made a huge impact on the Raptors fortunes at both ends of the court since joining the starting five.
The Raptors were led by Anunoby, who is looking awfully comfortable in that primary scoring role, with 23 points to go along with five assists and six rebounds.
Fred VanVleet, as he always seems to be, was right there with Anunoby finishing with 18 points, six assists and six rebounds of his own.
Garland led all Cavs scorers with 21, including those clutch late free throws, and eight assists.
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GETTING CLOSE
There aren’t many more welcome sights than what the Raptors were treated to about an hour before tipoff Friday night.
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Article contentOn the court taking part in a pre-game warmup alongside Gary Trent Jr. was Pascal Siakam.
The Raptors go-to scorer has yet to play a minute of meaningful basketball this year after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in the off-season. He’s been practising with the team with full contact for about a week now but the pre-game warmup is another sure sign that the return is just around the corner.
“He’s getting closer everyday. Everything has checked out pretty good,†Nurse said of a follow-up interview with the surgeon who did the procedure in L.A. “He’s hit all the checkmarks and everything of where he’s supposed to be, or maybe even a little ahead. … I would imagine maybe next week we’ll see him on the court. I’m not quite sure yet in what capacity.â€
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Article contentThe uncertainty stems from how ready Siakam is for game action after not playing a game in almost six months and with only limited practice.
“I think, again, a lot of it, at the start, will have to do with where we think he’s gonna be minutes-wise,†Nurse said. “And I would imagine, it’s been a long time since he played, I would imagine â€" again, I’ve gotta figure this out â€" but I would imagine it would at least be some type of limited restriction-type minutes and figure out the best way to accomplish that. But I probably won’t give it too much serious thought until we get this two-day break next week playing in between games when I’ll probably start getting the dry erase board out and start (mapping things out) a little more seriously.â€
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Article contentCAN CON
The Cavs are a big deal these days with a stellar young core and all the size they throw at you with 7-foot rookie Evan Mobley and 6-11 Jarrett Allen inside.
But another draw Friday night was the Toronto NBA debut of Holland Landing native Kevin Pangos. The 28-year-old rookie has six years of international experience but is brand new to the NBA. Minutes are a little hard to come by right now, but that shouldn’t be the case all year.
Head coach JB Bickerstaff was well aware of the importance of last night’s game for Pangos.
“Obviously being able to come home and play is a big deal,†Bickerstaff said pre-game. “Being able to come home and play in the NBA is an even bigger deal. So I can imagine there is some emotion tied up in it. He’s been all over the place playing professional basketball. He stays pretty even-keeled so I don’t think he will get too high or too low, but I think a homecoming for any of us, when you make it to this level, has great emotions tied to it.â€
Pangos, however, did not make it into the game.
mganter@postmedia.com
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