It looks like Toronto Raptors just can’t figure out how to stop LeBron James. On Thursday night the Cleveland Cavaliers faced the Raptors in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals and suffered a convincing 128 – 110 defeat. The man who orchestrated the Cavs’ win? LeBron James, of course.
James scored 43 points and added 14 assists alongside eight rebounds to give his team 2-0 comfortable lead in the series. It isn’t like the Raptors didn’t try to stop him. They contested 26 of his 27 shots, but he managed to make 17 of them including seven fadeaways. After an unconvincing Game 1, where the Cavaliers managed to grind out a win in overtime and where James wasn’t at his best, this performance reminded everyone why he is still the best basketball player alive.
“The ball was popping, guys were feeling involved, everybody felt their comfort [zone],” – said James after the game. “No matter at home or on the road, you want to try to play that type of basketball.“
James wasn’t alone in his quest to take down the Raptors, with Kevin Love finally playing at an All-Star level he was trying to get to for better part of the postseason. Love finished the game with 31 points and 11 rebounds.
This is the eighth straight playoff game where the Cavs have beaten the Raptors and it might not be the end of it. The series will now move to Cleveland, and it is hard to expect that the Cavs will pass on the opportunity to close out the series in front of their home audience. It is worth noting that the Raptors 0-5 postseason record at the Cavs’ Quicken Loans Arena.
