The Cleveland Cavaliers held their ground at home Wednesday, defeating the Toronto Raptors 125-120 in Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead in their surprising first-round series.
Many believed the Cavs were contenders this postseason to reach the Eastern Conference finals after acquiring James Harden at the trade deadline, but they are getting all they can handle from Toronto early in the playoffs.
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Here are the key takeaways from Game 5 as Cleveland moved one win from advancing to the East semifinals:
James Harden is the offensive focus
A buzzer-beating, 30-foot triple in the first quarter og Game 5 gave Donovan Mitchell a much-needed emotional boost, but Harden looks more and more like the central figure of that Cavs two-man force.
Harden led Cleveland in a dominant first quarter with 14 points, three rebounds and two assists, setting the tone as the heliocentric figure he’s made a career of being. His ability to control the tempo and pace, using the pockets and gaps in Toronto’s defense to initiate — and extend — ball movement, while also creating space with his trademark stepbacks, are underrated, especially at age 35. Harden posted 23 points and shot 4-of-8 from 3-point range in Game 5.
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Mitchell’s quiet playoff dip in productivity — he finished with 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting — has put even more of an onus on Harden to lead his teammates, but the more he’s able to control the game and limit his mistakes, the better the Cavs’ chances are in the East.
Still, it cannot be understated how difficult of a task getting out of the first round will be if Cleveland cannot depend on Mitchell, who looks overwhelmed with Toronto’s size.
Despite Wednesdays’ result, the Scottie Barnes ascension is no fluke, farce or flash in the pan. In his fifth NBA season, the 24-year-old has established himself as one of the premier two-way players in basketball.
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From the opening tip in a pivotal Game 5, Barnes took it upon himself to be aggressive in the open floor, whether it was by getting to his spots in semi-transition, making quick look-ahead passes to teammates in the restricted area or drawing the defense in before kicking to the perimeter. Defensively, Barnes was a menace for 94 feet, using his size and lateral quickness to cover large amounts of ground, pushing opponents off their spot as a point-of-attack defender and contesting shots with his length.
The resurgent Raptors have breathed life into this matchup and while Brandon Ingram has struggled with efficiency and consistency — leaving Game 5 after 11 minutes with heel inflammation — Barnes, who is likely to make either an All-NBA or All-Defense team, is at the heart of it all. Expect Toronto to continue to lean on him heavily at home in Game 6 as an offensive hub and defensive anchor after posting 17 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds Wednesday.
Cavs bench delivers
Game 5 is dedicated to the “other guys” with 36 bench points for the Cavs, which underscores the ineffectiveness of Jarrett Allen and Mitchell — but highlights the importance of depth at this time of the year.
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Cleveland has a variety of options when names like Harden and Evan Mobley head to the bench; Dennis Schroder’s experience, poise and shotmaking led to 19 points; Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson combined to shoot 4-of-6 from 3; and toughness from Dean Wade was crucial.
This series has been fought with in-game adjustments and lineups, and the Cavs’ ability to rotate healthy bodies who can contribute at both ends of the floor seems to be their calling card as the postseason moves forward.
