Being down two games to the Cavs is definitely not where the Raptors want to be.
In light of this, there have been plenty of storylines and narratives to consider — both positive and negative. However, looking back at what the Raptors managed to produce in Game 2, it's honestly quite remarkable that Toronto stayed in the fight (or at least kept it within reach) despite all the factors working against them.
Game 2 saw Jakob Poeltl removed from his key role, which has been eerily expected, but still a disappointing blow to see actually unfold. And while that's already tough, the game also featured a very lackluster Brandon Ingram performance, who is expected to be a key difference-maker in the series. Ingram shot a brutal 20 percent from the floor, which is about as bad as you could get at a time when Toronto desperately needed their star on offense to ignite.
On top of all of this, to make matters worse, the Raptors also gave up 22 turnovers in Game 2 to Cleveland, where they were able to capitalize with 22 points scored off those mistakes. At game's end, it was the Cavs who came out on top over the Raps, with the final score reading 115-105.
Raptors may have lost Game 2 but there's a ton to build off of for Game 3
Now, when it comes to winning, I've had some spirited debates with my colleagues in the sports realm. I've often heard the argument that "a win is a win." How you get there — whether a blowout or a narrow victory — doesn't really matter as long as you get the job done. With that in mind, looking at how Game 2 unfolded, even though the Raptors fell short and the Cavs won, they only lost by ten points and showed glimpses of potential. Encouraging efforts from Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and a thriving bench hinted that Toronto could turn the tide.
I understand that more critical fans might argue that what I just said doesn't hold the team accountable for what they didn't do right. But just look at all the metrics where Toronto had this game in the palm of their hands: the Raptors won the paint battle (outscoring the Cavs 64 to 52), the rebounding battle (42 to 35), second-chance points (19 to 10), and, not surprisingly, fast break points (16 to 2).
Though, you can't exactly maneuver your way to victory when a key player like Brandon Ingram is having a negative impact, and the Jakob Poeltl factor to consider as well.
I also don't want to dismiss the Cavs’ efforts in Game 2 either. Donovan Mitchell delivered another monster 30-point game that Toronto just couldn’t match or contain. The added contributions of Evan Mobley and James Harden certainly made the Raptors' rally more difficult too. Their stars simply outplayed the Raptors' core, and that’s an important factor to acknowledge.
That said, the Raptors' spirit (and especially the fanbase) shouldn’t be completely depleted. An 0-2 deficit will understandably evoke fear about how this series is shaping up, but there’s still hope. Cleveland hasn’t delivered the crushing blow just yet and Toronto cannot afford for them to do so in Game 3. Game 2 had multiple Toronto highlights (some sprinkled lowlights in between, as I noted), but if you don't win, then what's the point?
Add us as a preferred source on Google