Toronto Raptors’ Jonas Valanciunas, left, defends Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James. AP
CLEVELAND — LeBron James scored 39 points, hopped Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the career playoff scoring list and pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 125-103 blowout over the Toronto Raptors in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time).
Just like a year ago in the conference finals, the Cavs are up 2-0 on the Raptors, who had better figure some things out or this series will be over quickly. Toronto was blown out for the fifth straight time in Cleveland in the playoffs, losing each by an average of 24.2 points.
Game 3 is Friday night at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, where the Raptors will have the crowd on their side.
However, they won’t have James, who has won a road game in 27 consecutive series and appears determined to toss Toronto aside. He finished 10 of 14 from the field.
Kyrie Irving had 22 points and 11 assists and Channing Frye scored 18 points for the reigning champions, who are 6-0 so far defending their title. Cleveland is 9-0 since losing Game 4 of last year’s NBA Finals.
The Raptors didn’t start Jonas Valanciunas, but he led them with 23 points. Toronto only got five points from All-Star DeMar DeRozan, who didn’t make his first field goal until the first minute of the fourth quarter.
Of bigger concern might be the status of guard Kyle Lowry, who sprained his left ankle in the third quarter. Lowry spent the fourth quarter in the locker room icing his ankle.
James came in needing 25 points to pass Abdul-Jabbar, and he overtook the Hall of Fame center with a 3-pointer in the third quarter, when he scored 17 points and helped the Cavs open a 26-point lead. James now only trails Michael Jordan (5,987), the player to whom he has been compared since he was a teenager, for the most points in postseason history.
James is also trying to match Jordan’s six titles. He’s halfway there, and the way the Cavs are playing, he could have No. 4 before long.
Raptors coach Dwane Casey promised the Raptors “would be a different team tonight coming out.” He meant in terms of energy, but Casey also started a smaller lineup, benching the 7-foot Valanciunas and forward DeMarre Carroll in favor of guard Norman Powell and forward Patrick Patterson. He also moved Serge Ibaka from power forward to center.
The moves were intended to give Toronto more ball handlers and open the floor on offense.
They didn’t work simply because the Raptors couldn’t contain James.