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Cavs vs. Raptors Game 1: What We Learned

By Jackson Flickinger

May 1, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) grabs a beer from a vendor during the second half against the Toronto Raptors in game one of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
May 1, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) grabs a beer from a vendor during the second half against the Toronto Raptors in game one of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 1, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) slam dunks during the first half against the Toronto Raptors in game one of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
May 1, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) slam dunks during the first half against the Toronto Raptors in game one of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

What did we learn from the Cleveland Cavaliers domination of the Toronto Raptors in Game 1?

The Cleveland Cavaliers had their way with the Toronto Raptors in Game 1.

They dominated the game from beginning to end. The 116-105 score is somewhat misleading as Toronto was able to close the gap with some garbage time baskets.

The Big Three, in particularly, came to play against the Raptors as they combined for 77 of the Cavs’ 116 points.

LeBron James was on the top of his game like always. He finished with 35 points, 4 assists, and 10 boards. Kyrie Irving added 24 points and an individual postseason career high 10 assists. Kevin Love chipped in 18 points and 9 rebounds.

J.R. Smith only played 22 minutes in Game 1. He left the game early with an injury to his hand. His status for Game 2 is still in question.

Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan shouldered the load for the Raptors. They combined for 39 points. Cleveland did a great job of forcing the ball out of Lowry and DeRozan’s hands and forcing other to beat them.

We weren’t sure which version of the Cavs we’d see in Game 1 considering they were off for over a week. They played very well, but this team still is far from its ceiling.

Here’s what we learned from the win.