Tired Cavaliers no match for Toronto

By Tom Reed

Cleveland Plain Dealer

TORONTO

Cavaliers center Samardo Samuels made news Wednesday as passport and visa issues denied him a chance to cross the border into Canada.

Turns out his teammates’ legs didn’t clear customs, either.

The Cavaliers played their second game in as many nights for the first time this season and it showed in a 92-77 loss to the Raptors. A step slow and a split-second behind in their decision making, the visitors chased the game and the Raptors all night in Air Canada Centre.

Perhaps nobody wore the looks of fatigue more than rookies Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson who were so dynamic a night earlier in a home win over Charlotte. There were no two-handed dunks or chase-down blocks against the Raptors. Irving was 3-of-13 from the field. Thompson managed just three rebounds and one point.

Less than seven minutes into the game, coach Byron Scott subbed Ramon Sessions for his 19-year-old point guard. As Irving trotted to the bench his coach told him: “You look exhausted.”

“Welcome to the NBA, back-to-back nights, you know,” Scott said. “Especially our two young guys, it’s their first experience. ... I thought [Toronto] played great at both ends of the floor. We couldn’t throw it into the ocean.”

The Cavaliers (3-3) shot 29.6 percent from the field. The Raptors were dropping 3-pointers from the top of the CN Tower. Guard DeMar DeRozan matched his 3-point output from all of last season as he converted 5 of 7 attempts and finished with 25 points. Power forward Andrea Bargnani was terrific from the field again, making 11 of 16 shots and contributing a game-high 31 points.

It was the second time in nine days the Raptors handled the Cavaliers — they beat Cleveland, 104-96, at The Q — in games that appeared eerily similar. The Cavs could not defend the high pick-and-roll and were repeatedly stung by Raptors’ 3-pointers. Point guard Jose Calderon (13 points, 11 assists) again gave Irving fits.