The Toronto Raptors had all the right circumstances lined up for a second consecutive Game 1 victory this postseason after a 16-year tough luck streak without winning one in the postseason.
Yet as the game went on, it became more and more apparent that the team was about to squander that possibility, resulting in a 113-112 overtime defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Raptors coach Dwane Casey didn't know what to make of it during the post-game press conference, still dumbfounded at what took place on Tuesday night at the Air Canada Centre.
Article Continues Below“I don't know if it was nerves, or yips, or what,” said Casey. “Things that just shot ourselves in the foot. We have a [13]-point lead in the third quarter… there's a lot of things that we can clean up.”
Raptors coach Dwane Casey on late collapse in Game 1 loss to Cavaliers: "I don't know if it was nerves, or yips, or what. Things that just shot ourselves in the foot." pic.twitter.com/7Tu0g2553X
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) May 2, 2018
The Raptors had an exhausted LeBron James in their crosshair, struggling from the field after emptying the tank in a seven-game first-round series against the Indiana Pacers. Yet they weren't able to hold on to their lead, struggling to make shots from all around the floor with a hard-chasing Cleveland defense on its toes.
Toronto only made five field goals in the fourth quarter, seemingly having a lid on the basket, as the Cavaliers slowly closed the deficit, ending with a heavily-contested LeBron James fadeaway jumper to send the game to overtime.
The Raptors played from behind from there, unable to score in the last two minutes of the game and taking a painful loss in what's bound to be a tough series.