Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson reacts to Raptors’ performance ahead of Game 5 on Wednesday.
The Toronto Raptors have neutralized the Cleveland Cavaliers’ two primary weapons over back-to-back games. But with the series tied 2-2, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson is downplaying any sense of urgency heading into a pivotal Game 5.
James Harden and Donovan Mitchell have combined for 22 of Cleveland’s 40 turnovers through the series, and Toronto’s aggressive scheme has been the driving force behind it. “They create a lot of chaos out there, a lot of double teams on the drives,” Atkinson said after the game. “They’re swarming. They’re diving in for steals a lot, so they’re trying to speed us up. I think they are speeding us up. That’s what they’ve done all year. They’re a team that turns others over, and that’s part of the possession game. That’s their strength.”
Harden posted seven turnovers against just six field goals in Game 4, marking the second consecutive game in which he recorded more turnovers than field goals. Over the two losses in Toronto, he averaged 7.5 turnovers per game. Mitchell, meanwhile, had just eight points through the first three quarters of Game 4, as Toronto consistently trapped him in pick-and-roll actions and funneled him away from his preferred spots.
The defining sequence of the series came late in Game 4, when the Raptors began trapping Mitchell and Harden and daring Cleveland’s role players to beat them. Jamal Shead forced a critical turnover from Mitchell in the final minute, and Scottie Barnes converted at the free-throw line to put Toronto ahead for good.
Despite dropping two straight on the road, Atkinson did not indicate any significant strategic overhaul was coming. “They did what they’re supposed to do,” he said. “When you’re at home, you’re supposed to win in the playoffs, that’s how it works. This seems like a typical playoff series: 4 vs. 5, tied 2-2. There are no big surprises or mysteries.”
Atkinson did acknowledge, however, that Cleveland has been on the wrong side of the physical battle in Toronto. “There’s no doubt they’ve had the physicality advantage, the energy advantage these last two games,” he said.
Evan Mobley, who managed only eight points in Game 4, also addressed the turnover problem directly after the loss. “We’ve just got to do a better job of getting to our space and getting shots up and not turning the ball over in the final minutes. We’ve got to value the ball more,” he said. “Main thing is not turning the ball over, getting more of those shots up.”
Game 5 tips off Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.