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| (Photo by Dave Sandford/NBAE via Getty Images) |
Toronto Raptors
Record: 16-5, first in the Eastern Conference
Offense: 111.7 offensive rating (2nd)
Defense: 103.8 defensive rating (17th)
Net rating: 7.8 (5th)
| Probable Starters | PPG | RPG | APG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Lowry | 20.3 | 4.8 | 7.2 |
| Greivis Vasquez | 9.5 | 2.5 | 3.2 |
| Terrance Ross | 11.6 | 3.0 | 0.8 |
| Amir Johnson | 10.3 | 5.2 | 1.7 |
| Jonas Valanciunas | 11.9 | 8.3 | 0.5 |
The Last Result(s)
The Match-up to Watch
Cleveland's bench vs. Toronto's bench
In both of the match-ups between these two, it was the bench that loomed large for each victory. Lou Williams put up a career-high 34 points off the bench in the first game, part of a 51-19 effort the Raptor's bench put over the Cavalier's. In the second game, it was Tristan Thompson's monster effort (21 points, 14 rebounds) that sparked the Cavaliers to their win in Toronto. Cleveland is coming off of it's best performance by the second unit, when the bench scored a season-high 59 points in a blowout win over the Brooklyn Nets.
The Number
96.6
That's the Cavalier's defensive rating during their current seven-game winning streak, which would rank third in the league over the course of the season. This current trend on defense has vaulted Cleveland from 27th to 14th in defensive rating. I don't see them getting into the top-five just yet, but it's progress that was desperately needed.
The Playlist
Why Cleveland will win:
It starts and ends with the bench. If the Cavaliers can get any type of bench production, they are virtually unbeatable. Just look at last night for example: the Big 3 scored their fewest combined points of the season (44), yet they still won 22 points. LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving will all have better nights, but it will be the bench that propels them to victory tonight.
Why Toronto will win:
Kyle Lowry has been on a tear ever since DeMar DeRozan went down with an injury, averaging 26.0 points and 9.6 assists per game. But if the Raptors want to win, they need more than just him to produce. Which brings us to their combination of big men: Jonas Valanciunas, Amir Johnson and Patrick Patterson. If all three of them can have big games, it will be hard for the Cavaliers to overcome that.
The Prediction
Cleveland 115, Toronto 99
Just because the Raptors have the best record in the Eastern Conference, doesn't necessarily mean they are the best team in the conference. After starting the season 13-2, Toronto has went 3-3 in their last six games and have looked more like the team I expected them to be. Combine that with a better game from the Big 3 and the bench continuing to look good, I expect the Cavaliers to cruise to their eight straight victory and inch closer to the No. 1 seed in the East.
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