Cavaliers' Big 3 shows up, Brandon Ingram disappears and other Game 2 takeaways

Atlantic76ersCelticsKnicksNetsRaptorsCentralBucksBullsCavaliersPacersPistonsSoutheastHawksHeatHornetsMagicWizardsSouthwestGrizzliesMavericksPelicansRocketsSpursNorthwestJazzNuggetsThunderTimberwolvesTrail BlazersPacificClippersKingsLakersSunsWarriorsScores & ScheduleStandingsThe Bounce NewsletterNBA DraftPodcastsFantasyNBA OddsNBA PicksFirst-Round PredictionsHollinger's Playoff PreviewThe Bucks' Season From HellPlayer Poll: Who Will Win Title?NBA Playoffs The Raptors struggled to hang onto the ball in Game 2 and The Cavaliers' three stars all scored more 25 points or more. Jason Miller / Getty Images Share article3Evan Mobley, James Harden and Donovan Mitchell each scored 25 points or more as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Toronto Raptors 115-105 to take a 2-0 series lead in the first round matchup. Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 24 points.  However, he finished with four turnovers, a theme amongst the Raptors, who struggled to maintain possession and turned the ball over 22 times, eight more than Cleveland. Brandon Ingram couldn’t make shots, ending the game with 7 points, all in the second half. As the Raptors continue to play without starting point guard Immanuel Quickley, who is managing a strained right hamstring, they will need more production from Ingram and interim point guard Jamal Shead, who had 3 points in 37 minutes Monday night. The Raptors will host the Cavs for Game 3 Thursday night with an 8 p.m. ET tipoff. Here are three key takeaways from the Cavaliers Game 2 win: This is what the Cavs need from Evan Mobley every night. The idea of playing through him with the ball in his hands is long gone. The arrival of James Harden officially put that to rest. Instead, Mobley can punish opponents by being a menace in the paint. The Cavs were among the league leaders in paint scoring throughout the regular season and the Raptors have no one to corral Mobley — particularly when they go small. Mobley made all six of his shots in the first half (all at the rim) on a night 10 of his 13 shots came at the basket. He shot 11 of 13 and his 25 points and eight rebounds kept the Cavs at a comfortable distance most of the night despite struggling to make 3s. Mobley and Scottie Barnes have developed a bit of a rivalry dating back to Barnes winning Rookie of the Year over Mobley in 2022. They went at each other in Game 2 and will likely continue to do so throughout this series. Mobley won this round. He can play better defensively than he showed Monday, but no one is really worried about that part. It’s the aggressiveness and the tenacity on the offensive end that has been lacking at times throughout Mobley’s career. However, not in Game 2. — Jason Lloyd Brandon Ingram was matter-of-fact after the Raptors lost Game 1. “At the end of the day,” Ingram said after his 17-point performance, “me shooting nine shots is not going to win basketball games.” Let’s take another look at that, though: 17 points on nine field-goal attempts and 10 free throws? Pretty good efficiency. Between games, the Raptors spoke a lot about what it would take to get Ingram going with the Cavaliers guarding him from the top and daring the Raptors to go elsewhere. You knew they would take pains to get Ingram the first shot, and they did. It was a clean look, and he missed it. Bad shooting nights happen. Ingram shot 3 for 15 from the field in Game 2. But you wonder where his intensity was aside from trying to find creases in the Cleveland defence. In the third quarter, when the Raptors lost touch for the second game in a row, Ingram declined to get a hand up on a Donovan Mitchell jumper, didn’t hit the floor for a loose ball and admired a missed 3 while Max Strus leaked out behind him. Strus was nice enough to blow the layup. He had five turnovers, all of them avoidable. Ingram is in Toronto to hit tough shots. He’s not a player who draws so much attention that the world opens up for all of his teammates. As Mitchell puts on a ridiculous shotmaking clinic, Ingram has not even been ordinary for the Raptors. And you wonder if in making sure Ingram gets those looks, they are worrying about the wrong things. — Eric Koreen This was a night where one could see the benefit of trading Darius Garland for James Harden. The Cavs are now too big in the backcourt for any gimmick defense. One of the Raptors’ adjustments from Game 1 was to try Scottie Barnes on Harden. Barnes is 6-8 but moves quick enough to guard smaller players. Harden is 6-5, but he is so strong and sturdy, he went right through Barnes for most of the time the Raptors chose to employ that matchup. Garland, meanwhile, is 6-1. He is easily the fastest of the three, but physicality has always been his Achilles’ heel. Opponents in the playoffs would use it as a pressure point. Instead, Harden destroyed Toronto’s best on-ball defender, while the Raptors also had to deal with Mitchell and Mobley. Garland is a multi-time All-Star whose major issue has been injuries, especially this season. He thrived, and, I suspect, will continue to do so playing alongside Kawhi Leonard. But it was tough for him – made him vulnerable – when his backcourt mate was Mitchell (who is also sturdy but is much shorter than Harden). The Cavs’ bench didn’t play well in Game 2, and the Raptors cleaned up deficiencies on the glass and in transition from Game 1. But Harden’s ability to win his matchup against Harden proved to be too much. As an aside, Harden passed Rajon Rondo (1,136) for the seventh-most assists in NBA postseason history during Game 2. — Joe Vardon Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms