Cavaliers-Raptors Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Jan 26 2013 12:13AM

After dropping three of four very winnable games, the Toronto Raptors saw their hard work pay off last time out.

Coach Dwane Casey believes his last-place team still has a chance to get back into contention with similar efforts going forward.

The Raptors look for their momentum to carry over Saturday night as they go for a seventh win in nine matchups against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers.

Toronto (16-27) entered Thursday's game at Orlando mired in a 1-5 skid, with the last three of those losses each going to overtime. The Raptors nearly found themselves in another extra session before DeMar DeRozan made a game-winning fadeaway jumper as time expired, giving Toronto a 97-95 victory and a four-game season sweep.

"It does a lot," DeRozan, who finished with 22 points, said of the win. "Especially going back home, get ready to play Saturday. It does a lot for us. We understand we've been playing well for the last couple games, and we're just trying to get better, to get W's."

While Toronto surrendered an average of 102.6 points in winning just four of its first 23 games, it's since yielded 96.5 in going 12-8. The Raptors still have a ways to go if they hope to contend, sitting four games back of Boston for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot, but they appear to be headed in the right direction.

"Down the stretch everybody's questioned our toughness and how tough we are," Casey said. "I've seen resolve and toughness the last couple of weeks. And for anybody who doesn't feel like we're in this to win it, they are totally wrong.

"These guys are competing their butts off, have been every game. Whether it's my fault, or whoever's fault it is, they have been competing. That's one thing you can't question."

The Raptors have more than held their own in this series of late, allowing 91.8 points per game during their 6-2 run. Jose Calderon scored a season-high 23 on 10-of-15 shooting as Toronto pulled out a 113-99 road win over Cleveland on Dec. 18.

Sitting at the bottom of the Central Division, the Cavaliers (12-32) have also picked up the pace of late. Cleveland shot a season-high 52.3 percent and erased a 20-point, third-quarter deficit in Friday's 113-108 win over Milwaukee, its third victory in four games.

Kyrie Irving, who had 40 points three nights earlier in a 95-90 win over Boston, scored 35 against the Bucks.

"He's a hell of a young player," coach Byron Scott said of Irving, the No. 1 overall pick in 2011. "When we drafted him we knew that."

Named Thursday as a reserve in next month's All-Star game, Irving is averaging 31.0 points and shooting 56.5 percent over his last four contests, a stretch during which he's made all 22 of his free-throw attempts.

"The second half (of the season) is real important for us. The wins, that's the main attitude right now, is just getting wins," said Irving, who scored 23 against the Raptors in December.

"These last couple games have been fun, and I've said it to the guys multiple times, even in practice, our whole moral, we just know when to be focused and when it's time to dial in."

Marreese Speights, acquired from Memphis in a four-player trade Tuesday, had 10 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench in his team debut.

"That's the great thing about him. ... Mo really did a heck of a job of communicating and talking tonight, and that's something I didn't know about him," Scott said.

Irving lifts Cavaliers past Raptors 99-98

By IAN HARRISON
Posted Jan 26 2013 11:29PM

TORONTO (AP) This has been one fun stretch for Kyrie Irving.

The second-year star made a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left on Saturday night, giving the Cleveland Cavaliers a 99-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

The clutch shot capped off a memorable week that also included his first All-Star selection, a 40-point performance against Boston, and a 35-point effort in a win over Milwaukee.

"He's just playing at an unbelievably high level right now," Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said.

No kidding.

With time running down, Irving calmly drained a pull-up jumper from well behind the top of the arc, sending the Cavaliers to their season-high third straight win.

"I wanted to get a win," Irving said. "It was personal for me. In a year and a half of being in the NBA, I hadn't gotten a win against Toronto. To hit a game-winner and beat them on their home court feels good."

Irving said he didn't realize how far behind the line he was when he launched his decisive shot. The long-range attempt seemed to catch defender Alan Anderson by surprise as well.

"I think (Irving) caught Alan off guard a little bit because he was so far out and hit a tough shot," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.

Irving finished with 32 points and Marreese Speights had 17 for the Cavs. Tristan Thompson scored 14 and Wayne Ellington had 12.

Speights, who was traded to Cleveland on Tuesday, said seeing Irving up close has given him a new appreciation for the guard who was the top pick in the 2011 draft.

"I respected him before I got here but now I see how his game really is I respect him a lot," Speights said. "He's a great player."

Toronto had five players score in double figures. Amir Johnson had 18 points and 12 rebounds, Anderson scored 17 and Ed Davis finished with 16.

"Kyrie threw up a bomb and made a heck of a shot," Johnson said.

Anderson's layup to begin the fourth gave the Raptors an 11-point cushion but Ellington hit two 3-pointers as Cleveland answered with a 12-2 run, closing to 79-78 with 9:21 left.

"They went on a heck of a run that broke our back," Casey said.

The Cavaliers took their first lead since the first quarter on a layup by Thompson, but Terrence Ross restored Toronto's lead with a 3 less than a minute later.

Ellington's third 3-pointer of the fourth put the Cavaliers in front again, making it 88-87 with 4:44 left. Irving followed with a pair of free throws and then a driving layup for Cleveland's biggest lead of the game, but another 3 by Ross cut it to 92-90 with 3:19 remaining.

Toronto tied it with 2:12 left when Jose Calderon stole the ball from Irving and fed a streaking Ross for a layup. The Raptors reclaimed the lead on a driving dunk by Johnson with 1:16 to play.

Irving tied it again with a layup but Calderon promptly answered with a layup at the other end, putting the Raptors up 98-96 with 12 seconds to go.

The Cavaliers then called timeout, and Scott urged Irving to go for it.

"I said, `Me personally, I would go for the win,"' Scott said. "`Don't leave much time up there, just go for the win.' He said `That's what I'm going do, sounds good.' Just great coaching, that's all that is."

"That's big time to say `I'm going to do it,' and then go out there and do it like he did," Scott said. "I wasn't surprised. I was maybe giddy more than anything."

Irving's big 3 put him over 30 points for the third straight game.

"He's been everything that I've asked him to be, which is aggressive from start to finish," Scott said. "That's what we need from him."

DeRozan, whose buzzer-beating jump shot gave Toronto a 97-95 victory at Orlando on Thursday, got off to a strong start, making six of his first seven field-goal attempts and scoring 12 points to help the Raptors to a 25-19 lead after one. But DeRozan had just three points the rest of the way.

Irving scored eight points in the second and Speights added seven as Cleveland closed the gap, but an eight-point effort by Davis gave Toronto a 50-46 lead at the half.

NOTES: Cleveland's Daniel Gibson left at half with a sore right big toe and did not return. ... Toronto's Landry Fields started despite suffering from flu-like symptoms. ... Cavaliers rookie Tyler Zeller had 12 rebounds, two shy of his career high. ... Cleveland F Luke Walton did not play because of soreness in his left foot and ankle. ... The Raptors wore camouflage uniforms to mark Canadian Forces Appreciation Night. More than 500 Canadian Forces members and their families attended the game.

Notebook: Cavaliers 99, Raptors 98

Duane Watson, For NBA.com
Posted Sat Jan 26, 2013 11:14 PM - Updated Sat Jan 26, 2013 11:14 PM

THE FACTS: The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors 99-98 on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre. The Cavaliers have now won four of their past five games, and were led by All-Star reserve Kyrie Irving's last second 28-foot, 3-point shot and game-high 32 points.

After a Raptors 50-46 halftime lead, the biggest lead of the quarter occurred near its close when the Raptors took an 8-3 run, wrapping the third frame at 75-66. However, Toronto was unable to maintain their lead as the Cavaliers (13-32) started the fourth quarter on a 14-4 run, regaining the lead 80-79. With less than two and a half minutes left in the game, the point differential was never greater than two points as both teams traded baskets. With 13 seconds left, Jose Calderon's floating lay up off the glass over Tristan Thompson gave the Raptors (16-28) a 98-96 lead. However, on Cleveland's next trip down the floor, Irving launched a long distance 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left on the clock for a 99-98 lead and the final basket of the game.

Recently acquired Mareese Speights and Wayne Ellington came off the bench and added points 17 and 12 points, respectively, for the Cavaliers. Toronto-native Thompson scored 14 points with eight rebounds. The Raptors, who have won two games of their last eight, were led by Amir Johnson's double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Ed Davis scored 16 points with nine rebounds. Alan Anderson came off the bench for Toronto to score 17 points.

QUOTABLE: "You make some game winners and you're going to miss some in your career, that's just the law of averages. That's kind of the even-keel attitude I've had in my short career."

-- Kyrie Irving on maintaining his composure with the game on the line

THE STAT: Three-point shooting. The Cavaliers shot 54.5 percent from beyond the arc, (6-for-11) including 4-for-4 in the fourth quarter.

TURNING POINT: With a close fourth quarter, the game came down to one shot. Irving watched the clock dwindle down with Anderson guarding him at the 3-point line, he shot the ball from 28-feet to watch it dance through the twine with 0.7 seconds left and a 99-98 point lead for the Cavaliers.

QUOTABLE II: "When he's aggressive everybody else on our team follows, that's why we've been able to win the last three games. Obviously, [it's] because of the way he's played, but [also] because of the way we've played as a team."

-- Cavaliers coach Byron Scott on Irving

HOT: Irving was hot when it mattered, scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning 3-point shot. He shot 13-for-26 and 3-for-5 from behind the arc. In his last two games he has scored 35 and 40 points, respectively.

GOOD MOVE: After only having Speights and Ellington in their second game for Cleveland, they are both contributing from the start. Scott's confidence in his new players to stick with them during crunch time paid off.

NOTABLE: The Cavaliers have now won three straight games and four of their last five, while the Raptors have lost six of their last eight. ... Daniel Gibson left the game for the Cavaliers in the third quarter with a right toe sprain. ... Toronto led by nine or more points in all four quarters.

UP NEXT: For the Raptors, Monday vs. Golden State, Wednesday @ Atlanta, Dallas, Friday vs. Clippers. For the Cavaliers, Tuesday vs. Golden State, Friday @ Detroit, Saturday vs. Oklahoma City.

• Cavaliers: Selby, Varejao
• Raptors: Bargnani, Valanciunas

• Cavaliers: --
• Raptors: --

• Lead Changes: 9
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
• Officials: #23 Jason Phillips, #27 Dick Bavetta, #68 Marat Kogut
• Attendance: 18820
• Duration: 2:19