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Game Thread | 2020-21 Season | Game #61 | Cavs @ Raptors | April 26, 2021

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Wham with the Right Hand

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We're down to the final 12 games of the season and any playoff talk has been terminated with the loss to the Wizards. The Cavs are now six games out of the play-in with 12 to play.

The Tampa Bay Raptors, however, are still in it, sitting two games out of 10th place and having won 4 of their last 5 with the loss coming two nights ago to the streaking New York Knicks, winners of nine straight. The Raptors are making a big push for the playoffs. They are 15-15 in Tampa.

These teams played just over two weeks ago in what might have been the most disgraceful performance of the year by the Cavs. Toronto came in having lost 15 of 18 and missing three starters in Lowry, VanVleet, and Siakam. Another starter, Norman Powell, had just been traded. With a team consisting almost entirely of bench players they scored 47 points in the first quarter and 87 in the first half to take a 33-point halftime lead. After the game Bickerstaff said the Cavs had no "grit".

They also had no Jarrett Allen who was out with a concussion. They get Allen back tonight but I assume Collin Sexton will miss this game with a concussion. He scored 29 against the Raps two weeks ago.

The Raptors' tallest rotation player is 6'9" so getting Allen back could be very helpful. Kyle Lowry, age 35, was 1-for-10 against the Knicks on Saturday and is shooting 42.8%. In that game Siakam, VanVleet, and Anunoby scored 80 of their 103 points in a 120-103 loss.

Their replacement starter for the injured Chris Boucher is 6'9" Khem Birch, in his third NBA season at age 28. He has a career average of 4.8 ppg. When he sits down they play without a center. Allen and Hartenstein need to dominate for the Cavs to have any chance of competing. The Cavs are badly outclassed at the forward positions (Anunoby and Siakam against Love, Nance, Wade and Cedi) and at guard (Lowry, VanVleet and Trent against Garland, Delly, and Okoro).

Gary Trent, Jr got the start two weeks ago with Lowry and FVV out and proceeded to shoot 17-for-19 and put 44 points on the Cavs. He averages 15.2 this season and has scored 4 and 5 the last two games. His second highest scoring game in April was 24 points.

The Cavs will be playing the second night of a back-to-back on the road after a close loss to the Wizards. Garland played 40 minutes last night. That could be a problem, especially if Sexton can't go. The Cavs should be cautious with Sexton since they have no hope of qualifying for the play-in. The Raptors had yesterday off.

So basically this is a character game for the Cavs. They were humiliated by Anunoby and the Raptors' bench just 16 days ago in their own building. The Raptors are on a roll and need every possible win if they want to sneak into the playoffs. The Cavs need to salvage some respect after the whipping they took in the last game. They don't need a win, but they need to make a statement about who they are.
 
Interested to see how Garland, Okoro and Allen play on the 2nd night of a B2B after playing heavy minutes.

Garland and Okoro having these two backcourt matchups back 2 back are a great developmental gauntlet.
 
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We're down to the final 12 games of the season and any playoff talk has been terminated with the loss to the Wizards. The Cavs are now six games out of the play-in with 12 to play.

You know it's over when even Fedor has let go of the rope. Haven't seen him mention it in an article recently!
 
I really like how Garland/Okoro compliment each other in the backcourt
 
Two turnovers on two lazy passes by Cedi

Good job tank master
 
That Garland pass to Allen.

Wow
 
Transition defense...
 
Kevin Love posts up small guard, gets stripped by small guard, walks back on defense.

Been going on since forever. I love how the Cavs and Kevin still think posting him up against smaller players is good offense.

No one in the league is afraid of a Kevin Love post-up against anyone.
 
Back to back. Half the team hurt. Season essentially already over. This could get ugly
 
Okoro showed some assertiveness with a few drives early, I'd really like to see him continue doing that even after the block/turnover when Birch closed on his 3
 
The defense is trash as hell.
 

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