Enemies drain Cavs energy in Game 3

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost their first playoff game on Saturday night, with a 99-84 defeat to the Toronto Raptors and a lack of energy was a huge difference maker for the Cavs.

Drake wasn’t in attendance for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, but his hit song ‘Energy’ possessed an underlying theme for the Cavaliers.

In that song, the Raptors international ambassador sings, “I got enemies, got a lotta enemies, got a lotta people tryna drain me of my energy,” and the Raptors were able to drain all of the Cavs energy in Game 3.

Or, Cleveland didn’t bring the necessary energy levels needed in the first place.

Either way, the fact remains. The Cavs perfect post-season is over, as Toronto played like a team who had their season, for intendeds and purposes, on the line, while the Cavaliers played like a team who didn’t have that same level of desperation.

In the end, a 15-point margin separated the two teams, and while Cleveland got the deficit within single digits multiple times in the second half, the double-digit victory was appropriate on this night.

From the tip, the Raptors seemed to be more locked in. That is very cliché to say, but when one team is sharper with their defensive rotations, crashing the offensive glass, forcing the Cavs into their weaknesses and hitting shots on the offensive end, the difference becomes painfully obvious.

Toronto’s crowd definitely fuelled the Raptors even more. They cheered wildly after every made basket, and the players constant taunting, such as Bismack Biyombo’s, sure got the crowd extra fired up.

“We just had a bad night,” coach Tyronn Lue said about the loss, via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

While this may be true, as lest we forget, the Cavaliers had won 10 straight playoff games, an incredible accomplishment, what the Cavs displayed on Saturday night was a return back to their inconsistent ways of the regular season.

Many wondered why the Cavaliers dropped games to the likes of the Brooklyn Nets in the regular season, and after watching the way the team has flown through the playoffs, you almost forgot the Cavs lost those games.

In Game 3 however, Cleveland reminded everyone how beatable they are when they don’t play with the vigor necessary in the post-season.

To look at just one of many factors for an example of how Cleveland lacked intensity in Game 3, Biyombo’s rebounding numbers is the obvious avenue.

Biyombo pulled down a Raptors franchise record 26 boards in Game 3, constantly beating multiple Cavaliers to the glass. Of those 26 though, the eight offensive rebounds hurt the most. Offensive rebounding is Tristan Thompson’s expertise, so the Cavs know how demoralizing they are to the opposition. In Game 3 however, the Cavaliers got a taste of their own medicine.

Furthermore to Biyombo’s big night, was the way Toronto outrebounding Cleveland as a whole in Game 3. Rebounding is often described as an effort stat, as toughness and vitality are key aspects to the skill. So, when you see the Cavs got outrebounded 54-40 on the night, it’s easy to pinpoint an area of lacking energy.

“He had the ‘see ball, get ball’ mentality,” Thompson said about Biyombo’s game, via Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. “Definitely pissed me off. I’ve just got to take it to another level Monday. Just got to play that much harder. Got to give the guy credit, he played one helluva game tonight. He was definitely a spark for them, definitely changed the game. What he did defensively was at a very high level. I’ve got to match that or surpass that next game.”

At the conclusion of Game 2, LeBron James spoke at length about how important it is for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to have big games, especially on the scoring end. This takes a huge load of James’ shoulders and doesn’t allow the opposing defense to key in on just one guy.

Thus, when you wonder how the Cavs scored just 84 points, their lowest output of the playoffs, Irving and Love’s numbers help explain the answer.

Irving has been praised throughout the playoffs for how he has played within the flow and schemes of the Cavs offense. The Irving of old returned in Game 3 though, as he dribbled and shot, multiple times, to a 3-of-19 night from the field, scoring just 13 points.

“It’s the law of averages,” Irving said post-game, via cavs.com. “Not every night we are going to shoot particularly well, including myself. Uncharacteristic, going 3-of-19, I rushed a few shots.”

Credit the Raptors defense for Irving’s struggles as well. Toronto attacked Irving all night long, whether it was in the open court or the pick and roll, which led to a number of his over dribbling acts. A common knowledge of thought around the NBA is that Irving abandons the teams offense in search of his own when you smoother him. The Raptors executed this to perfection in Game 3.

The other member of the Big 3, Love, was worse. In losing his first career playoff game, Love played like the misfit he has become known for throughout his first two seasons with the Cavs, instead of the double-double machine he has been in the post-season.

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Love shot just 1-of-9 in Game 3, scoring three, yes three, points. He didn’t even have an impact on the glass, pulling down four rebounds. On uncontested looks, Love shot 1-of-7, so it may have been a case of good looks simply not falling. Whatever it was though, Love needs to fix it before Game 4.

“I felt like I was a little bit passive,” Love said, via Fedor. “I have to come out Monday night and have that type of mentality and do better on that end. I feel like from a mentality standpoint it’s an easy fix.”

Along with the duos horror night, the Cavs dished out just 15 assists, well below their post-season average of 23.7. They connected on just 35.4 percent of their field goals, their lowest rate of the playoffs, and after destroying the Raptors in the paint in the first two games; the Cavs scored just 20 points there in Game 3.

“I think it’s good for them. It’s good for them,” James said of his teammates struggles, via Fedor. “First little adversity, first individually in a long time, and I think it’s good for them. I think they’ll be much better obviously on Monday.”

Despite the loss, Cleveland should still advance to their second consecutive finals. The Cavs still possess an advantage in pretty much every area but Game 3 serves as a frustrating reminder about what will happen if the Cavaliers don’t show up with the right mindset.

“We look at it from a perspective of, ‘OK, what can we do to tighten up and get better?” Richard Jefferson said, via Lloyd. “We understand that as the playoffs progress it gets harder and more intense and tonight we didn’t meet that challenge.”

If Cleveland doesn’t meet the challenge that is now in front of them, their NBA Finals views won’t be on the court. They’ll be back home in front of a television.