CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers won the first two games in Cleveland but lost the first two games in Toronto, tying their best-of-seven first-round series 2-2 and setting up a crucial Game 5 against the Raptors on Wednesday, April 29, at Rocket Arena.
In Game 5, Evan Mobley and Dennis Schroder led a second-half charge, and the Cavaliers beat the Raptors 125-120 to take a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6, which will be May 1 in Toronto.
Here are our instant reactions to Game 5 between the fourth-seeded Cavs and fifth-seeded Raptors:
Cavs vs Raptors Game 5: Ryan Lewis’ instant reaction
Evan Mobley might have single-handedly saved the Cavaliers’ playoff hopes with a tremendous explosion of offense in the second half. His five-point final minute of the third quarter gave the Cavs a footing they used to propel themselves to a crucial Game 5 win. Without it, the beginning of the fourth quarter would have had a very different feel.
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said before the game he wouldn’t look into a four-game sample when it comes to Mobley’s impact, instead choosing to trust the player he knows. Those words ended up looking prophetic as Mobley fought off the Raptors’ counter punch.
Mobley hasn’t displayed this high level of a performance as consistently as the Cavs would prefer, but they’ll certainly take the periodic reminder like in Game 5.
The Cavs might need more from Donovan Mitchell and James Harden moving forward, but Mobley stepping up is a major sign, especially when paired with a terrific performance by Dennis Schroder in the second half, which also can’t go unmentioned.
Cavs vs Raptors Game 5: Nate Ulrich’s instant reaction
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson made a change to the starting lineup in Game 5, inserting Max Strus and bringing fellow forward Dean Wade off the bench. Wade had started the first four games of the series. The combination of Strus, guards James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, forward Evan Mobley and center Jarrett Allen entered Game 5 with 13 minutes together in this series, and the lineup had been outscored by 13 points. In the group’s first 10 minutes of action together in Game 5, it was outscored by 11 points. Atkinson’s decision backfired.
Another disappointing aspect of Game 5 for the Cavs is they lost the possession battle. “The possession game is huge,” Atkinson said during pregame media availability. “We obviously had the advantage the first two games. They’ve kind of switched the narrative.” The Cavs lost the rebounding battle 59-45 and ended up even in the turnover battle 15-15.
These were important factors in Game 5, and the Cavs were fortunate to win despite them.
Ryan Lewis and Nate Ulrich cover the Cavaliers for the Akron Beacon Journal.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavaliers vs. Raptors Game 5 instant reactions
Reporting by Ryan Lewis and Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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