The Cleveland Cavaliers are not panicking despite a Game 3 loss to the Toronto Raptors, but they recognize the need for mental adjustments heading into Sunday's pivotal Game 4. After jumping out to a 2-0 series lead, the Cavs were thoroughly outplayed in Toronto, falling 118-100 in a game that was never as close as the final score indicated.
Raptors' Adjustments Pay Off
Toronto made the necessary adjustments, both schematically and in terms of effort, to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole. The Raptors came out with desperation, forcing 22 turnovers from the Cavaliers while committing only 12 themselves. The home crowd fueled a 16-0 run in the fourth quarter that effectively ended the game.
RJ Barrett had the game of his life, scoring 33 points on 12-of-18 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range. He was complemented by Scottie Barnes, who also scored 33 points, and Collin Murray-Boyles, who added 22. But the biggest surprise was Jamison Battle, an Ohio State product who made all six of his three-point attempts in the regular season meeting and continued his hot shooting in Game 3, going 4-for-4 from deep in the fourth quarter alone.
Cavs' Dynamic Duo Contained
James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, who averaged 56 points combined in the first two games, were held to 29 points on 12-of-33 shooting. They also committed 11 turnovers. Harden acknowledged the team's struggles but remained confident.
"We will respond," Harden said. "We ain't got no other choice. We didn't expect to win 16 games in a row. You know what I mean? But find a way to weather the storm, figure it out and be better for Game 4. It's a part of the whole process."
Turnover Troubles
Dennis Schroder, Toronto's former starting point guard, had three turnovers in the first quarter alone as Cleveland committed nine turnovers in the opening period and trailed 31-25. Mitchell noted that the Raptors played with more force and aggression, which the Cavs must match in Game 4.
"They came out protecting homecourt," Mitchell said. "They did not want to go down 3-0. Nobody wants to do that. They're not a team that would come out and allow that. They're going to make adjustments, whether it's playing hard or whether it's top-locking, whether it's crashing or it's sprinting transition, whatever they decided to do, they did it with more force and aggression."
Looking Ahead
The Cavaliers' primary task is to neutralize Scottie Barnes, who was a matchup nightmare in the mid-post. Meanwhile, the Raptors will look to continue their momentum and even the series. A win for Cleveland would allow them to close out the series at home in Game 5, while a Toronto win would make it a real series.
Game 4 tips off at 1 p.m. Sunday, and both teams understand the stakes. As Mitchell put it, "When you're not as forceful as the home team and they start making shots and the crowd is behind them, you get the result you get."
