You can't blame Toronto Raptors fans for feeling down following a pair of dismal losses to the Cavaliers in the opening games of the Eastern Conference final. But Saturday brings with it another moment in franchise history: Toronto's first third-round game on home court.
Aaron Vincent Elkaim/The Canadian Press
Expect fans to be supercharged at Jurassic Park, the go-to outdoor hangout for the team's most devoted followers. They've shown up in droves to cheer on the Raptors' game days through two series so far, so we can expect more of the same for Saturday's 8:30 p.m. ET tip-off. The Raptors will look to continue to narrow the point deficit
from their previous two losses, which shrunk to 19 from 31 between Games 1 and 2.
As Lowry goes, so go the Raptors
Which Kyle Lowry will the Raptors get when they take the court? So far in the series, the star guard's play has been been underwhelming. After an eight-point performance in Game 1, he mustered only 10 on Thursday night. If his poor play wasn't enough of a burden to shoulder, Lowry on Friday was also dealing with criticism for leaving the bench at one point during Game 2's loss.
Lowry said his break was simply to "decompress" and that it's something he's done several times before, and on Raptors' coach Dwane Casey said it was a bathroom break.
But that didn't stop a pile-on from commentators who said the move was demonstrative of a lack of leadership.
JV remains sidelined
We won't see the return of Jonas Valanciunas on Saturday. While he'd been making progress with his ankle injury, as The Globe's Cathal Kelly reported, the Toronto big man is still not game-ready. That means Bismack Biyombo will continue to hold down a spot in the starting five. It also means the Raptors are still down a big body as they try to fight their way back into the series.
The other guys
Aside from dealing with mediocre play, bathroom-break controversies and injuries, the Raptors have to find a way to shut down a lethal Cavaliers team – one led by LeBron James and the support of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, JR Smith and Tristan Thompson.
Not giving up
Some Raptors fans have already put the first two games of the series behind them. On social media the team's boosters, which include Toronto Mayor John Tory, were not ready to throw in the towel just yet.
It takes 4 games to win a series. @Raptors coming home with chance to turn series around. #WeTheNorth #RTZ
— John Tory (@JohnTory) May 20, 2016
@Raptors Quiting is not an option with Raptors #RTZ playing until the clock runs out
— Marcia farrell (@m04178) May 20, 2016
Provincial Conservative leader Patrick Brown clearly still optimistic about the #Raptors pic.twitter.com/58xS5qMhc0
— Momin Qureshi (@Momin680NEWS) May 20, 2016
Playing from behind
While many view a 3-0 series deficit as a death knell, history shows that the bell may have already tolled for the Raptors. As this OregonLive.com slideshow points out, NBA teams that lead 2-0 in a best-of-seven series have gone on to win 94 per cent of the time. The odds aren't in the Raptors' favour. What do you think, can they do it?
Can the #Raptors come back and win the series vs. the Cavaliers? #RTZ #NBAPlayoffs
— Globe Sports (@Globe_Sports) May 20, 2016
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