Feb 27 2013
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By Blake Murphy Basketball, Pre/Post-Game, Raptors Republic

Quick Reaction: Cavaliers 103, Raptors 92

Title: Quick Reaction: Cavaliers 103, Raptors 92
Date: February 27, 2013
Original Source: Raptors Republic
Synopsis: This Raptors post-game was a quick reaction to the Raptors’ 103-92 loss to the Cavaliers on Feb. 27.

Warning: This is a very negative quick react.

Toronto Raptors 92 Final
Recap | Box Score		 103 Cleveland Cavaliers
Amir Johnson, PF41 MIN | 5-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 9 REB | 4 AST | 0 STL | 4 BLK | 4 TO | 10 PTS | +7Was very strong in help defense and with his usual hustle plays. He’s a really strong complement to Bargnani normally, which was completely un-utilized for whatever reason.
Rudy Gay, SF43 MIN | 10-21 FG | 3-3 FT | 8 REB | 6 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 24 PTS | 0Was playing efficiently until the endgame, when he went 2/7 and 0/3 on threes in the fourth. His vision has improved, possible lending legitimacy to his comments to Grange about learning to facilitate for his new teammates.
Jonas Valanciunas, C24 MIN | 2-4 FG | 1-2 FT | 8 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 3 BLK | 3 TO | 5 PTS | +14Played very well when out on the floor. When his defensive IQ improves, he’s going to be a force. In the meantime, nobody works harder, and even though his teammates neglect to feed him for long stretches, he goes from being missed as an open dive-man to setting back screens to free up cutters and other things of the like and run-on sentence.
Kyle Lowry, PG34 MIN | 4-12 FG | 2-5 FT | 6 REB | 8 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 11 PTS | +12Wasn’t at all aggressive enough until late, when he tried to be Hero Kyle. Sometimes that’s good but it wasn’t working tonight and would have been too-little too-late anyway.
DeMar DeRozan, SG44 MIN | 10-19 FG | 14-15 FT | 5 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 34 PTS | -3There were certainly some times when DeMar forced shots or passed to teammates late in the clock, but I’m never going to argue with 34 points on 19 attempts.
Landry Fields, SF8 MIN | 2-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 4 PTS | -16Was a part of a four-man bench unit that went 8 minutes without a board. If he’s not scoring, and he’s not rebounding, what is he?
Aaron Gray, C4 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -7#trollsohard
Andrea Bargnani, C16 MIN | 0-4 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 0 PTS | -12I’m only giving him a D- since I “support Andrea” and he had that one nice block. Otherwise, he just doesn’t look like himself now. I’d almost rather have “I don’t realize I’m bad” Bargs back than this ultra-passive, hesitant version.
Sebastian Telfair, PG7 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -9Hey, a 7-trillion! Sure can dance, though.
John Lucas, PG7 MIN | 0-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -14Usurped by a guy who had no stats.
Alan Anderson, SG14 MIN | 2-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 4 PTS | -27Also contributed nothing on the glass, but at least he only fired up 14 shots per 36 instead of his usual 247. Somehow a crazy -27 rating in 13min.
Dwane CaseyThe rotations! My god, the rotations! Between rolling out the bench as a full “second unit” like they’re hockey lines to leaving Jonas on the bench for long stretches for no reason, Casey’s decisions with personnel are mind-boggling. More on that…

FIVE THINGS WE SAW

  1. Why play Bargs as the lone big? History shows he struggles without a strong post counterpart, and you have two in Jonas and Amir. Instead, Bargs is deployed in the situation that suits him worse than any other. Perfectly reasonable way to try and get a guy going…
  2. Leo Rautins ❤ Luke Walton x 100000000000000
  3. No seriously…Leo wants to curl up in whatever that tattoo ivy stuff is on Walton and just lay there for eternity. He is the MVP of the Cavs, the NBA, and Leo’s heart.
  4. The starting unit played really well despite the poor final result. To a man they all had decent games, except perhaps Lowry and then Gay late.
  5. The playoff odds will drop to 0 tomorrow. You can’t lose games v Was and @ Cle without Kyrie and just cross your fingers the Bucks don’t lose. It’s over.

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