Saturday Night, the Toronto Raptors accomplished what no other rival has been able to do during the 2016 NBA Playoffs; beat the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals only supported the popular idea that the Cavs’ were unstoppable, but to everyone’s surprise, the Raptors ended the Cavs’ 10-game streak with a 99-84 Game 3 win.
Raptors End Cavaliers Streak in Game 3
Although LeBron James led the Cavs’ with 24 points, the revitalized Raptors overshadowed him and his teammates. DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 32 points, while Bismack Biyombo set a franchise record with 26 rebounds for the Raptors. Kyle Lowry also lent a hand by scoring 20 points with six rebounds and three assists.
In contrast, the Cavs’ Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving shot a combined 4 of 28 or 14 percent from the field. Unable to utilize their overpowering offensive strategy used throughout the playoffs, Cleveland’s scoring potential was limited from the start. Ultimately, the inefficiency of Love and Irving resulted in the Raptors double-digit lead for most of the game.
With the Cavs’ leading 2-1, it’s too early for Toronto fans to celebrate. The pressure is on for the Raptors to tie up the series at home by winning game 4 on Monday. If the Raptors manage to lose momentum, they may face elimination with Cleveland hosting game 5 up 3-1.
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