The Toronto Raptors needed Kyle Lowry to turn around their series with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s been their only reliable shooter from beyond the arc, but he couldn’t play due to an ankle injury. No one else stepped up, and the Cavaliers used a huge Q4 to roll over our guys for a 3-0 series lead.
DeMar DeRozan, so dreadful in Game 2, rediscovered his shooting touch. He enjoyed a wonderful game after a stinker in the Milwaukee series, and demonstrated his resilience once again in this one. Frequently using a straight-line dribble drive to split defenders and attack the paint, he torched Cleveland for 37 points.