Cavs Dominate Season Opener

The Toronto Raptors opened the inaugural game of the year in a full court press. Their defensive intensity was evident from the jump and the young group was able to apply serious pressure. They then sat in driving lanes and were able to create turnovers in the start of the first quarter. The court had been shrunk and the Raptors had early momentum.

But, just like an old furnace in your living room, the Cavs just needed some time to warm up. There was a lot to unpack from this game, and the first piece that stands out is Evan Mobley's role in the offense. Early in the game, we saw Atkinson run a "horns" set for Mobley with a high off-ball screen, freeing him up for a drive and score. Mobley was aggressive with the ball in his hands, lived inside the paint and even took the ball the length of the court - converting at the cup.

Garland's had some difficulty shooting from beyond the arc in the first half but he displayed his signature playmaking ability with lobs to the bigs. Then, we saw Kenny Atkinson take a tactic out of J.B Bickerstaff's book, breaking up the "Core Four" and having either Allen/Garland on the court or Mobley/Mitchell. The game started to swing when two adjustments were made.

First, Atkinson had the Cavs go into a 2-3 zone, where according to my possession counting, the Raptors only converted on 1 of 5 possessions. Then, Merrill and Niang were the first two to come off the bench and provided a real spark, each going at least 11+ in the plus/minus category in their first shift.

Our furnace really warmed up halfway through the second quarter, when the Cavs went on a 20-4 run. In man defense, the starting group took pride in their match-ups, got stops, played fast and converted on the other end. This was highlighted by Donovan Mitchell's takeover to end the half where he made shots from both outside and in the paint.

Coming out of the break, the Cavs hoped to maintain their lead. Mitchell maintained his intensity and had a blindside steal on Jakob Poeltl, leading to an and-one on the other end. As the third quarter progressed, the Raptors were able to get hustle and energy plays out of young guards Jamal Shead and Gradey Dick, that helped Toronto chip away at the lead. Caris LeVert ensured that the lead would hold strong and shot perfect from the field through the first three quarters (7-7, 17 points). This included a buzzer-beating step back three at the end of the quarter.

The Cavaliers took a 26 point lead into the fourth and did not look back. The crowd was taken out of the game after the first half and by the end of the contest, the Cavs had shown the Raptors what a playoff team looks like but had also displayed a real identity. As long as Evan and Jarrett stay aggressive, the team will play an inside-out style (as predicted in the game preview). This was shown in the difference in paint points, 68-38 for the Cavs. This allows us to go to our creators in Mitchell, Garland and LeVert only when we need, which will help us in the playoffs.

Ultimately, the Raptors did not test the Cavs in any way shape or form. The first half was competitive but once Cleveland was able to slow the game down, Toronto stood no chance. Mobley, Mitchell and LeVert combined for 65 points and none of them played more than 30 minutes (including a +31 for both Mobley and Mitchell). Jerome, Niang and Merrill were all efficient off the bench and it was this efficient scoring that let Cleveland run away with this game. On the defensive end, Mobley used his length very well blocking 3 shots and our defensive anchor, Allen blocked 4. The starting five combined for 8 steals and the squad scored 30 points off turnovers.

Cleveland Cavalier fans have to be satisfied with this performance, where the team was clicking on both sides of the court. They will have to continue this level of execution if they want to sustain their success.

1-0.

Final Score: 136-106 Cavs

Player of the Game: Evan Mobley (25 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks)

Junkyard Dog (awarded to a player who deserves credit in a Cavs win): Caris LeVert (19 points, 8-9 FG)

Need to See More: Darius Garland (7 points, 6 assists, 3-12 FG, 1-6 3PT)