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What We Learned in the Raptors’ Big Win Over Cavaliers to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

After a back-and-forth game, the Raptors were able to pull away in the fourth quarter and get a win back from the Cavaliers.
Tyler Lauletta|
Scottie Barnes drives by James Harden in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Scottie Barnes drives by James Harden in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. | Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images

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Toronto RaptorsCleveland Cavaliers

At halftime of Game 3 between the Raptors and Cavaliers, there was reason to believe that the series was over. Sure, the game was tied 54–54, but Toronto had just three players—Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles—that were contributing anything on offense, and were getting out-rebounded by the Cavs 27–12.

It felt as though Cleveland’s game was far more sustainable, while the Raptors shooting would eventually hit the dry spell that sent them into a 3–0 series hole and made the only remaining question whether or not we were looking at a true sweep or a gentleman’s sweep by the Cavs.

Instead, Toronto punched back. Hard. After trading blows in the third quarter, the Raptors rode an electric 33–9 run in the fourth quarter to pull away and push the series to 2–1.

Below we take a look at what we learned from a gutsy Game 3 performance by Toronto.

Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett are enough to lift the Raptors’ offense to win in this series

Heading into this matchup, one of the biggest questions was how the Raptors would be able to score to keep pace with the Cavs. Sure, Toronto’s defense is elite, and the slower pace of the playoffs should only help them sharpen the edge they have there, but Cleveland was one of the best teams in the league by offensive rating, and would be getting its points regardless of how tough the opposing defense was.

Through two games in the series, this proved to be the case. Cleveland cleared 110 points in both of its wins, and the Raptors were not able to keep pace. Brandon Ingram, who led Toronto in scoring through the regular season, was contained through both games, putting up 17 and 7 points respectively, and the Raptors simply did not have the firepower elsewhere in the lineup to make up the difference.

Game 3 could have proven the same, with Ingram again held in check with just 12 points, but Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett were able to lift the Raptors offense with an astonishing 33 points apiece. The duo combined for a jaw-dropping 9-of-13 from beyond the arc, hitting from deep at a rate that should put any NBA team in a position to win.

Crucially, the two were able to trade off as the lead of the Toronto offense—Barnes scored 31 of his 33 through the first three quarters, while Barrett served as the closer with a 16-point fourth quarter.

Is it sustainable to ask two veterans who have shot 30% and 33% from three all season to more than double that rate of success to win in the postseason? Probably not. But the fact that not one, but two players were able to elevate the offense in such a big way is definitely a relief for a team that was wondering where the points could be coming from if Ingram wasn’t producing.

Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles picked a great day to have his best game as a pro

We’ve already seen a few rookies leave their imprint on the postseason, none moreso than Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe in Philadelphia’s Game 2 win over the Celtics.

On Thursday, Raptors rookie Collin Murray-Boyles had himself a career game just when his team needed it. The ninth pick in last year’s draft put up a season-high 22 points in 28 minutes off the bench while shooting 11-of-15 from the floor.

He also had what was maybe the play of the game on defense, absolutely stuffing Cavs big Jarrett Allen at the rim for a huge block.

Murray-Boyles had some help off the bench from second-year player Jamison Battle, who was a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc, producing 14 points all in the fourth quarter as the Raptors extended their lead to be insurmountable.

While Barnes’s scoring was able to carry the Raptors through the first three quarters, it was two of their young stars that were critical to stretching the lead and securing the win in the fourth.

This series isn’t over yet

The Cavaliers looked in complete control as this series left Cleveland, and given how the rest of the series in the East were going, looked like they might be working towards a critical advantage of recovery time heading into the second round if they could dispatch the Raptors quickly.

But with Game 4 set for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET in Toronto, this series feels entirely up for the taking once again.

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Tyler Lauletta
TYLER LAULETTA

Tyler Lauletta is a staff writer for the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI, he covered sports for nearly a decade at Business Insider, and helped design and launch the OffBall newsletter. He is a graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, and remains an Eagles and Phillies sicko. When not watching or blogging about sports, Tyler can be found scratching his dog behind the ears.

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