Cavaliers most to blame for hideous Game 4 loss to Raptors to tie series

The Cleveland Cavaliers watched NBA Playoffs history unfold Sunday. But the wrong kind that swung towards the Toronto Raptors’ way. Toronto shot a dismal 32% yet still beat the Cavs.

Defense certainly became the theme inside Scotiabank Arena. Cleveland even bottled the Raptors to an atrocious 13.3% from the perimeter. Plus swatted five blocks on the defensive side.

Except defense couldn’t carry Cleveland all the way. That flaw leads the areas that are most to blame on the Cavs’ side.

Donovan Mitchell’s shooting

“Spida” rises as the top scoring option each night for Cleveland. Except his shooting looked badly off Sunday.

Mitchell settled for 6-of-24 shooting from field goal range. He managed to nail four 3-pointers to lead Cleveland, but still struggled on the floor.

The perennial NBA All-Star struggled outside of scoring too. Mitchell delivered trouble with ball security, turning it over four times.

Fans likely cringed at Mitchell’s unnecessary 3-point heave with 24 seconds left too.

Evan Mobley’s performance

Mobley botched a big dunk during the fourth quarter. But that’s not the focus here.

Yes, Mobley came close to hitting a double-double as he grabbed nine rebounds. But he scored only eight points in 32 total minutes on the floor. The big also misfired on all three 3-point attempts.

Cleveland struggles when the frontcourt doesn’t get going. Mobley’s shooting mishaps helped contribute to the Raptors’ win.

Jarrett Allen and the rest of the frontcourt

Can’t just pin this on Mobley. Even Jarrett Allen and the rest of the frontcourt failed to deliver a potential knockout blow.

Allen collected an impressive 15 rebounds. But unimpressive was his final point total: Three points, with one coming from the free throw line.

Allen’s inability to score down low hindered the Cavs’ offense. Worse for Allen and Mobley? Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles outscored both of them.

Fellow forward Dean Wade couldn’t step up as a scorer either in settling for seven points.

Cleveland scored 38 points in the paint. But the Raptors punished Toronto with 50 down low.

James Harden’s ball-handling

Harden still can carry an offense on the shooter side. Someone on the Cavs’ coaching staff must remind him of his ball-handling however.

Harden lost the rock an astonishing seven times during the loss. That high number of turnovers kills offensive momentum anytime.

He did produce 19 points to finish second with Mitchell. Yet Harden hit only 2-of-6 from the 3-point line.

Turnovers doom Cavs

Harden’s solo turnovers are one miscue that plagued Cleveland. But the Cavs’ passing and dribbling became way off.

Toronto grabbed 11 steals as a team compared to the Cavs’ five. Cleveland went on to turn it over 17 times.

And the Raptors scored 17 off those ball-handling miscues to even the series.

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