2026 NBA Playoffs - East First Round - #4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs #5 Toronto Raptors (CLE WINS 4-3)

JujitsuFlip · Post #101 » by **JujitsuFlip** » Sun May 3, 2026 8:40 pm

Green Backpack wrote:Tons of pressure on Cleveland. Highest payroll, Harden trade, home court advantage, Raptors missing 2 starters, Game 7. I think they'll come out firing really hard tonight.

Cavs have to lock in on defense from the tip or their season is over. Cavs try to wait to play defense until the 4th quarter, most of this series. It's lack of effort and lack of focus, which shouldn't be a thing with a veteran ball club.

RaptorPride · Post #102 » by **RaptorPride** » Sun May 3, 2026 9:08 pm

QingJames · Post #103 » by **QingJames** » Sun May 3, 2026 9:24 pm

JujitsuFlip wrote:
Green Backpack wrote:Tons of pressure on Cleveland. Highest payroll, Harden trade, home court advantage, Raptors missing 2 starters, Game 7. I think they'll come out firing really hard tonight.
Cavs have to lock in on defense from the tip or their season is over. Cavs try to wait to play defense until the 4th quarter, most of this series. It's lack of effort and lack of focus, which shouldn't be a thing with a veteran ball club.

Do they wait to play defense until the 4th quarter or do the undermanned and gassed out Raptors just get easier to defend in the 4th quarter when they are exhausted?

Nothing I’ve seen from Cleveland this series suggests they can be even mediocre on defense. Both perimeter and post defense have been terrible. Only Wade and Allen have been positives on that end.

JustBuzzin · Post #104 » by **JustBuzzin** » Sun May 3, 2026 9:25 pm

Harden legacy game?

Jokic failed
Embiid lived
Harden? tbc...

mtcan · Post #105 » by **mtcan** » Sun May 3, 2026 9:57 pm

JustBuzzin wrote:Harden legacy game?

Jokic failed
Embiid lived
Harden? tbc...

How many Harden legacy games does he need? :lol:

This is like his 17th legacy game. After a while, the legacy is what it is. :nod:

And yet I say that and in about 4 hours, this post could possibly have aged very poorly and maybe he does pull out a 40 piece to lead the Calves to victory.

Who knows?

RaptorPride · Post #106 » by **RaptorPride** » Sun May 3, 2026 10:05 pm

mtcan wrote:
JustBuzzin wrote:Harden legacy game?

Jokic failed
Embiid lived
Harden? tbc...

How many Harden legacy games does he need?

This is like his 17th legacy game. After a while, the legacy is what it is.

And yet I say that and in about 4 hours, this post could possibly have aged very poorly and maybe he does pull out a 40 piece to lead the Calves to victory.

Who knows?

He is a legend he will for sure pull through. I mean look at the history.

Chuck Everett · Post #107 » by **Chuck Everett** » Sun May 3, 2026 10:07 pm

If the Raptors aren't shooting the three ball well, I don't believe they can win this game. Walter, Shead, Lawson and Battle have to make the open ones. I kind of feel like we're due for a big Max Strus or Sam Merrill game.

RaptorPride · Post #108 » by **RaptorPride** » Sun May 3, 2026 10:09 pm

Chuck Everett wrote:If the Raptors aren't shooting the three ball well, I don't believe they can win this game. Walter, Shead, Lawson and Battle have to make the open ones. I kind of feel like we're due for a big Max Strus or Sam Merrill game.

The only thing you can depend on Toronto is defence. Everything else is a wild card. Game 4 we made history with our three point shooting and still winning.

mtcan · Post #109 » by **mtcan** » Sun May 3, 2026 10:11 pm

RaptorPride wrote:
Chuck Everett wrote:If the Raptors aren't shooting the three ball well, I don't believe they can win this game. Walter, Shead, Lawson and Battle have to make the open ones. I kind of feel like we're due for a big Max Strus or Sam Merrill game.

The only thing you can depend on Toronto is defence. Everything else is a wild card. Game 4 we made history with our three point shooting and still winning.

Yes, one thing is for sure. Raptors know how to and can win ugly. If it becomes a grind...advantage Raptors because Raptors aren't a good shooting team and so the scoring is always going to be a slog but the defence is what could keep it close enough to slip by.

BigDan245 · Post #110 » by **BigDan245** » Sun May 3, 2026 10:35 pm

RaptorPride wrote:
Chuck Everett wrote:If the Raptors aren't shooting the three ball well, I don't believe they can win this game. Walter, Shead, Lawson and Battle have to make the open ones. I kind of feel like we're due for a big Max Strus or Sam Merrill game.

The only thing you can depend on Toronto is defence. Everything else is a wild card. Game 4 we made history with our three point shooting and still winning.

Toronto's defense has been nonexistent in Cleveland

mtcan · Post #111 » by **mtcan** » Sun May 3, 2026 10:39 pm

BigDan245 wrote:
RaptorPride wrote:
Chuck Everett wrote:If the Raptors aren't shooting the three ball well, I don't believe they can win this game. Walter, Shead, Lawson and Battle have to make the open ones. I kind of feel like we're due for a big Max Strus or Sam Merrill game.

The only thing you can depend on Toronto is defence. Everything else is a wild card. Game 4 we made history with our three point shooting and still winning.

Toronto's defense has been nonexistent in Cleveland

Game 5, the defence for the first 3 quarters was good. Wheels fell off in the 4th quarter. Guys ran out of gas. Needed our 2 injured starters to share balance the workload.

TheAlchemist23 · Post #112 » by **TheAlchemist23** » Sun May 3, 2026 10:57 pm

Don't expect the Raps will have enough juice without IQ and BI

SerialChiller · Post #113 » by **SerialChiller** » Sun May 3, 2026 11:02 pm

Heart says Raps, head says Cavs.

ThunderBolt · Post #114 » by **ThunderBolt** » Sun May 3, 2026 11:02 pm

Can I just say that it’s weird that I saw a live screenshot of Cleveland and there are no leaves on the trees and I live 80 miles from Vancouver Canada and everything is completely green already?

canada_dry · Post #115 » by **canada_dry** » Sun May 3, 2026 11:16 pm

It's house money for us tbh.

Wallace_Wallace · Post #116 » by **Wallace_Wallace** » Sun May 3, 2026 11:17 pm

I just realized the Raptors are missing Ingram and Quickley this whole time. How are they fighting back???

djsunyc · Post #117 » by **djsunyc** » Sun May 3, 2026 11:20 pm

i'm a raptors fan and i got the biggest game of the season coming up but damn, i'll sitting here pure simpin' for maria taylor. jeez.

Blazing_royale · Post #118 » by **Blazing_royale** » Sun May 3, 2026 11:20 pm

Wallace_Wallace wrote:I just realized the Raptors are missing Ingram and Quickley this whole time. How are they fighting back???

Defense baby, pure ugly scoring and dependable defense. It's our calling card.

Eightnineborn · Post #119 » by **Eightnineborn** » Sun May 3, 2026 11:20 pm

Donovan Mitchell has been a playoff baller all his life, but this year he has sucked balls. Ever since the Harden trade Donovan has sucked frankly. Its either the matchup, or its either he has just regressed, but how the heck do you regress so fast? Or its either he just doesnt care, cuz I iust dont see the effort. Its so hard to understand whats going on with him. He looks lost out there, it looks like his mind is somewhere else. Also, he shouldnt have been dating a celebrity (jokes)

mtcan · Post #120 » by **mtcan** » Sun May 3, 2026 11:23 pm

Wallace_Wallace wrote:I just realized the Raptors are missing Ingram and Quickley this whole time. How are they fighting back???

Our rookies and sophomores are showing themselves to absolute ballers.

We aren't where we are without solid defence and scoring from Jamal Shead, Jakobe Walter and Collin Murray-Boyles.

Who wins Game 7??