The Toronto Raptors are locked in a 2-2 first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Game 4 provided valuable lessons for a young Raptors team that is on a quest to upset a more experienced Cavaliers squad. Finishing quarters strong is critical to sustaining momentum.
As Amit Mann noted on The Raptors Show, Toronto outscored Cleveland 30-6 in the final two minutes of each quarter in Game 4. In a game where the Raptors scored only 93 points, nearly one-third of their offense came in those closing stretches.
Closing quarters helped Toronto win Game 4
The most memorable end of a quarter, of course, came in the fourth quarter, when Toronto ended the game on a 17-5 run that swung the result. But the end of the first half was also incredibly memorable.
Brandon Ingram, despite struggling much of the night, scored 10 of his 23 points in the final 2:27 of the half and helped spark a 10-0 surge into the break. This was critical, as it brought Toronto from down eight to up two going into halftime. It completely flipped the feel of the first half.
Runs like these swing momentum, build confidence going into breaks, and that energy can carry into the opening minutes of the next quarter. That proved critical when Toronto was playing in front of its home crowd, but it could be even more important in Game 5 in Cleveland.
Toronto needs to repeat its Game 4 performance
Hearing an electrified home crowd erupt at the start of a quarter, after a big run to close the last period, can give a team energy for the next 12 minutes. It can also demoralize the opponent. Toronto will not have that luxury in Game 5.
That makes late-quarter execution even more important on the road. The Raptors not only need to generate their own momentum, but they need to prevent the Cavaliers from ending quarters with runs that ignite the crowd during those long breaks in play.
Road playoff games can turn quickly when a building gets behind the home team. Winning those final two minutes of quarters could help Toronto quiet the arena, keep momentum in its favour, and perhaps take control of the series.
Add us as a preferred source on Google