Raptors end 4-game slide by holding off injury-riddled Cavs

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The economics of basketball won't allow Jamal Sheed to start over Immanuel Quickley, and neither will the optics themselves.

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Quickley is making too much money, too much in fact, while Sheed is in his second season.

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The fact remains that Sheed is a better fit in Toronto's starting group because he is defensive and fearless.

The child also becomes better at making decisions.

Relegating Quickley to the bench would be a clear and obvious indictment of the lucrative contract extension the Raptors offered, a decision many see as too hasty after the trade with the New York Knicks.

He is a top scorer and will cause problems for defenses when he comes out and gets into the paint.

The Quickley-Shead mix can be effective, especially on a night like Friday when the Raptors desperately needed a spark.

The host Cavs were exhausted and the Raptors desperately needed a win after four straight losses in which their opponents averaged 130 points.

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Jamison Battle was the player of the game, coming off the bench to hit a three. Steph Curry would have appreciated scoring 20 points on the night to lead the Raptors to a 112-101 victory.

Below are three takeaways from the situation at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, where Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic wasted no time calling timeouts as his team all but abandoned defense, the biggest area the third bench coach has emphasized and continually strengthened.

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1. Cup half full

What to do with the NBA's season-long tournament, officially known as the Emirates Cup, remains up for debate.

The bright colors adorning the floor and the event's logo prominently displayed at center court are sure signs of this experiment, which is now in its third season.

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In the previous two editions, the Raptors were eliminated in the blink of an eye.

The Los Angeles Lakers won the inaugural tournament and Milwaukee won last year's tournament, which saw the Indiana Pacers reach the finals before embarking on their improbable run to the NBA Finals.

Apart from the colorful courts on certain Cup nights, it is difficult to distinguish them from regular regular season matches.

Point margins are critical, so the Raptors kept scoring late when the game was no longer in doubt.

2. The killer instinct is weakening.

In their only win to start the night, the Raptors showed no mercy to the host Hawks, creating a steady pace and making stops when needed.

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Toronto played well against the host Cavs, taking a double-digit lead.

The guests became too unceremonious, no pun intended.

When they should have hit the jugular, the Raptors settled for jumpers and were guilty of failing to come back in transition.

In Wednesday's loss to Houston, the Rockets twice ended the quarter with narrow leads.

Cleveland beat the buzzer to end the first half, with the Raptors leading 48-43 at the break.

The gap should have been greater.

Closing the quarters is one of the signs of a good team. Perhaps, over time, the Raptors will become one of them.

Toronto looked good on Friday but had to go up against a bad Cavs team.

Cleveland took the lead early in the third quarter, which spoke volumes about how poorly the Raptors were playing and how much worse they were shooting the ball.

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The lead increased to double digits.

Battle provided a much-needed lift when he hit three straight threes from almost dead center from the left baseline.

Cleveland scored 34 points in the third quarter.

3. Misery Loves Company

Jakob Poeltl did not accompany the Raptors to Cleveland because the big man has back stiffness.

As valuable as Poeltl is to the Raptors, especially on defense and on the boards, his presence pales in comparison to what the Cavs have had to deal with.

Cleveland's dynamic backcourt of Donovan Mitchell (hamstring) and Darius Garland (toe) was unavailable, as was fellow starter Jarrett Allen (toe).

Key reserve Max Strus (foot) left the game and Sam Merrill (hip) missed the game, leaving the Cavaliers decidedly depleted.

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Friday's starting group featured two legitimate starters in Evan Mobley and De'Andre Hunter, although the latter was acquired as a reserve.

It could be argued that the Raptors had two bona fide starters in Barnes and Ingram.

Staying at home gave the Cavs extra energy.

The talent drain was obvious from the start as Cleveland missed the mark numerous times.

For the first time since the opener in Atlanta, the Raptors actually led at the end of the first quarter.

Despite their injury problems, Cleveland never had an interception and moved the ball well.

The team's lack of depth was painfully obvious in the zero points scored by its bench in the opening 24 minutes.

Next

The Memphis Grizzlies are in town Sunday for a 6:00 p.m. tip with Toronto native Zach Eadie unavailable as he recovers from a left ankle injury; he was expected to make the trip; fellow Canadian Brandon Clarke has a problem with his right knee; At least Ja Morant is healthy, a terrific point guard and the face of the franchise.

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