PREMIUM
3-Game NBA SWEEPER PASS
(NBA) Cleveland vs. Toronto,
Point Spread: 7.50 | -105.00 Toronto (Home)
Result: Win
Point Spread: 7.50 | -105.00 Toronto (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The Cleveland Cavaliers needed six games to beat the Toronto Raptors in last year's Eastern Conference finals, although the four wins came by an average margin of 28.5 PPG. The two teams are meeting a round earlier this season and after sweeping the Pacers in the first round, the Cavs now own a 3-0 series lead over the Raptors in this series. Cleveland won Game 1 by "just" 11 points but note that the Cavs led by 22 points entering the fourth quarter in that contest. Cleveland then won Game 2 by the score of 125-103 and then Game 3 by 115-94. Cleveland received some much-needed rest after sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the opening round and will receive another break if it can close out the Raptors on Sunday. Toronto was outscored 36-17 in the fourth quarter of Game 3 when it needed a supreme 12 minutes to make it a series and will likely be without starting point guard Kyle Lowry (ankle) for the second consecutive contest. "I'm probably doubtful, honestly," Lowry told reporters on Saturday. "I don't think I'll be able to play. ... It's not looking great, but I'm not giving up on it."
Cleveland: "For myself, I just focus on that game," Cavaliers forward LeBron James said after Game 3. I don't really think about the sweep, I don't think of anything but how can I as leader of the ballclub put our guys in a position to be successful." The Raptors haven't come close to stopping LBJ, who is averaging 36.3 points and shooting 60.4 percent from the floor in the series. He has been superb overall in seven games this postseason with averages of 34.3 points, nine rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.4 steals.
Toronto: SG DeMar DeRozan produced a career playoff-best 37 points in Game 3, after he had scored just five points on 2-of-11 shooting in Game 2. It looks like Lowry will be out again, so DeRozan will need another huge effort. Cory Joseph started for Lowry in Game 3 and was awful, scoring only four points (on 2-of-12 shooting) with six assists in 33 minutes. He'll have to do better and so will every other Raptor getting "PT" in Game 4.
The pick: Maybe I'm just "spitting into the wind" but the Raptors were 2-for-18 on 3-point shots on Friday, missing their first 12 of the game. That's far from typical. "I thought we did an excellent job of moving the basketball, finding the right person," Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said. "But again, it's something we've done, knocking down 3s all year and, for whatever reason, it's escaping us right now." Casey added, " ... At one point, we were one of the better offensive teams in the league, depending on the 3s, knocking down the 3, and now we have to transfer it from regular-season basketball to playoff basketball." Make Toronto an 8* play.
Cleveland: "For myself, I just focus on that game," Cavaliers forward LeBron James said after Game 3. I don't really think about the sweep, I don't think of anything but how can I as leader of the ballclub put our guys in a position to be successful." The Raptors haven't come close to stopping LBJ, who is averaging 36.3 points and shooting 60.4 percent from the floor in the series. He has been superb overall in seven games this postseason with averages of 34.3 points, nine rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.4 steals.
Toronto: SG DeMar DeRozan produced a career playoff-best 37 points in Game 3, after he had scored just five points on 2-of-11 shooting in Game 2. It looks like Lowry will be out again, so DeRozan will need another huge effort. Cory Joseph started for Lowry in Game 3 and was awful, scoring only four points (on 2-of-12 shooting) with six assists in 33 minutes. He'll have to do better and so will every other Raptor getting "PT" in Game 4.
The pick: Maybe I'm just "spitting into the wind" but the Raptors were 2-for-18 on 3-point shots on Friday, missing their first 12 of the game. That's far from typical. "I thought we did an excellent job of moving the basketball, finding the right person," Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said. "But again, it's something we've done, knocking down 3s all year and, for whatever reason, it's escaping us right now." Casey added, " ... At one point, we were one of the better offensive teams in the league, depending on the 3s, knocking down the 3, and now we have to transfer it from regular-season basketball to playoff basketball." Make Toronto an 8* play.