Fourth-quarter inefficiency buries Raptors in Game 5 loss

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From a brick-fest to a slug-fest, the style and scoring in Game 5 of the Raptors-Cavaliers NBA playoff series had absolutely no similarities compared to Game 4 in what turned out to be the most competitive and hotly contested game of the series.

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In the first quarter alone Wednesday night, the Raptors and host Cavaliers combined to net 72 points.

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Sunday afternoon in Toronto, the teams managed 31 points in the opening 12 minutes.

Every playoff game has its own theme, no two games ever the same, but when a best-of-seven series is tied with all four wins produced on the team’s home floor, Game 5 loomed critical as it did pivotal.

And the play and intensity reflected it, especially in the fourth quarter when Cleveland emerged as the better team, albeit by the smallest of margins, en route to a 125-120 win to take a 3-2 series advantage.

The night began with Scottie Barnes, whom the Cavs had no answer, despite throwing different bodies, including Thomas Bryant, and James Harden taking turns in leading their respective teams.

Donovan Mitchell’s buzzer-beating three ball from near the half-court logo to end the first quarter did little to rattle the visitors.

Shead and Walter excel

Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter were fearless when each was left wide open from beyond the three-point arc.

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A potential Dean Wade buzzer-beater to end the first half hit iron, a rare miss as the teams went into intermission with the Raptors leading 74-67.

Consider that the Raptors won Game 4 with a 93-89 scoreline and one will begin to understand just how efficient both teams operated one game later.

One of the themes in this series has been turnovers, an area the Cavs feasted in the opening two games, a theme that doomed Cleveland in the opening 24 minutes Wednesday.

Normally, the loss of Brandon Ingram to injury would equate into a major setback for the Raptors.

In 11 minutes Wednesday, he attempted one shot.

He left in the second quarter and was ruled out of the game because of a right heel injury, an issue Ingram dealt with late in the regular season.

Barnes was a bit hobbled, but one couldn’t tell given how forcefully he played in transition.

Barnes’ elite passing

In the half court, the Cavs decided to play off Barnes, who exploited them nonetheless, whether it was with his deft shooting touch or his elite passing.

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Prior to tipoff, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic felt Barnes was functioning at “60% of the player” he will be in two to three years.

Barnes has certainly taken his game to a different level this series.

In the first half, Barnes had almost as many assists (8) as the entire Cavs team (10).

Barnes had three in the second half and would end the game by missing 10 of his 16 attempts from the field.

When the second half began, A.J. Lawson replaced Ingram in the starting unit.

Ingram was the Raptors’ best offensive threat during the regular season.

Obviously, this isn’t the regular season, and the truth remains that his presence has been negligible.

In fairness, not having Ingram — and remember the Raptors haven’t had and won’t have Immanuel Quickley this series — meant the team was without another ball-handler and shot-creator.

When a series is tied and when winning a Game 5 would place a team on the brink of elimination, will, and not skill, often prevails.

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Cavs’ bigs step up

And it’s why the Cavs responded in the third quarter when facing their second double-digit deficit on the night.

It was game on, the way it should be with the stakes so high.

Lawson would quickly be replaced by Shead, who buried a three-pointer from the right baseline after Toronto forced yet another turnover.

Shead recorded his 15th point as the Raptors led by nine.

RJ Barrett found Shead in the corner as Barrett’s play, minus the suspect free-throw shooting, was yet again impressive.

Toronto led 103-100 after three quarters, its inability to finish periods problematic.

The way the Raptors started the fourth period wasn’t encouraging, shots they would make from distance suddenly not dropping.

Cleveland’s sense of urgency was heightened.

This was playoff basketball at its best, by far the best game of the series, regardless of team affiliation.

Cleveland’s bigs in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen finally showed up, Dennis Schroder, the former Raptor, stepped up, but the Raptors refused to go away.

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Trailing by eight points with 1:41 remaining, the Raptors’ inability to drain three-pointers, which was one of the team’s strengths through three quarters, went dry.

When the ball needed to be in the hands of Barnes or Barrett, Cleveland did a nice job of ball denial.

Toronto’s compete level never wavered, but its execution on either end of the floor suffered.

As good as Barnes was in the opening half, his impact in the second half was minimal.

As good as Shead and Walter played, too many shots taken by each in the fourth quarter was not what the Raptors needed.

Ingram, assuming he was operating at a functional level, would have helped.

Quickley would have helped had he been available from the time the series opener tipped off.

The fact the Raptors were able to build double-digit leads at various times indicated of how well they played and an indictment of the Cavs.

Given how Toronto’s roster was compromised and how dominant the Cavs were in the opening two games, Cleveland, by all rights, should not have been in such a dire situation in the fourth quarter.

Credit the Cavs for not letting this game get away, unlike Game 4, and credit the Raptors for refusing to quit.

At the same time, Toronto returns home trying to avoid elimination.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com

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