NBA – The top seeded team in the East the Toronto Raptors host the defending Eastern Conference Champion and #4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the 2nd round NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.
It is the rematch of last post season match where the Cavaliers sweep the Raptors in 4 games.
Prior to the game the Toronto Raptors battled the Washington Wizard in round 1 of the post season that took 6 games before the Raptors move onto the 2nd round while the Cleveland Cavaliers exceeded their series match against the top Indiana Pacers in Game 7 before moving onto the 2nd round to face the awaiting Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors own the home court advantage over the Cavs in their best of seven series, it is also predicted that the Raptors will win the series? But LeBron and the Cavs own the Raptors in this year's regular season and the past 2 post season where the Cavs eliminated the Raptors twice.
Either way the Raptors will have their chance this playoffs of dethroning the King and the Cavs for the first time or will the King and the Cavs continue their complete domination over the Raptors for the 3rd consecutive post season?
In the game, the 1st quarter was a complete domination of the Raptors taking an early lead of the game and never look back to finish the quarter 33 – 19 up by 14 points. Cavs superstar LeBron James sat down in the later minutes of the quarter, which is an unusual thing for him where he always finish the quarter before resting in the 2nd quarter?
In the 2nd quarter, Cavs able to come back in the game by outscoring the Raptors 38 – 27 cutting the lead into just 3 points 60 – 57 at the half. JR Smith and Jeff Green played big in the quarter leading the Cavs in scoring with 14 points and 13 points respectively. LeBron James added 11 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assist. While the duo of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry lead the Raptors in scoring with 15 points and 10 points respectively.
In the 3rd quarter, the Raptors made a quick start to back up their lead again into double digit. Jonas Valanciunas leads the Raptors in scoring and rebounds in the 3rd to give the Cavs a hard time, but despite of that Cavs able to cut the lead into 3 points 83 – 80 till the quarter ends in 87 – 82 Raptors up by just 5 points.
In the 4th quarter, Raptors back their lead to double digit again in the early minutes but the Cavs won’t go away and slowly cut the lead until the game was tied at 105 all with 30.3 remaining. Cavs had their chance to win the game with 0.6 remaining in the game but LeBron James failed to make a fade away shot that went to overtime.
In Overtime, Cavs made the first basket to get the first lead of the game 108 – 105 with 4:23 to go they manage to up their lead into 6 points, 113 – 107 but Raptors made a 5- 0 run to cut the lead to just 1 point 113 – 112. With only 16 seconds to go Raptors had their chance to win the game but failed to score a 3’s that went into Game 1 victory to the Cavs 113 – 112.
LeBron James drops another triple double with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assist.