The Toronto Raptors are feeling good about their new-found offense, and it will be put to the test when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday night. The Raptors, who have shot 50 percent or better from the field in four consecutive games, will be going for their first three-game winning streak of the season. They are coming off a 121-108 home win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday that followed a 132-131 road victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. Following four straight wins, the Cavaliers dropped two in a row after losing 121-115 to the visiting Los Angeles Lakers Saturday night. The Cavaliers had Donovan Mitchell back in the lineup after he had missed four games with a strained right hamstring. He scored 22 points.
The Raptors are averaging 52.9 percent (185-for-350) shooting from the field over their past four games. The Raptors have recorded 25 or more assists in a franchise record 12 straight games (Nov. 1-24), averaging 30.2 during this span. The previous best was 10 games from Jan. 8-28, 2020. “It’s like the way we play, moving the ball, and it’s like all the assists come from like, really different ways,” Raptors forward Pascal Siakam said. “You know, it’s not just like, ‘Oh, I’m passing the ball’. It’s playing fast and advancing the ball so you have to take one dribble and get to the rim and that’s an assist, or like, from the elbow with Jakob (Poeltl) making plays and passing out to guys. There’s just different ways to have an opportunity to have assists, and I think that our cutting game has got to continue to increase and get better, and I think the assists (are) going to go even (higher) once you start cutting even more than what we’re doing right now.” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said there is room for improvement. “I think, reads, angles of screens, how to read different coverages that defenses are throwing at us … how to play against switches, there is a lot for us to continue learning,” he said. In the Cavaliers’ loss to the Lakers, Mitchell shot 4-for-18 from the field and had six assists. Jarrett Allen had 21 points and 14 rebounds in a strong game for the Cavaliers, and Evan Mobley had 18 points and six assists. Cavaliers guard Darius Garland did not play in the second half because of a neck strain. He scored six points.returned to the Cleveland lineup Saturday after missing nine games with a sore left knee. He scored five points. “We didn’t play how we wanted to the entire game and we didn’t complete the mission,” Mobley said. “They were executing their plays and we weren’t down the stretch. It’s disappointing.” The Cavaliers led 40-35 after the first quarter and 71-70 at the intermission. The Raptors are looking to move above .500 for the first time since winning their season opener. The Raptors have won four of their past five games against the Cavaliers, dating to March 2022.
