CMB, going into his first full NBA offseason: “It’ll do tremendous wonders for me. I feel like having 5 months to just get better… that’s going to be a lot of time to work on a lot of things… Just trying to get as good as possible for next season.”

Quickley says he was ramping up and starting to do live play when he re-injured his hamstring in the same spot during the series. "Unfortunate. I wanted to be out with the guys." Sounds like he would've been unlikely for the 2nd round as well. "You never know. I was optimistic."

Sounds like CMB even surprised himself with his rookie season. “I wasn’t expecting it to go like this, but it was really good for me.”

Collin Murray-Boyles said his nagging thumb injury has felt better the past month or so, but doesn't sound like it's fully healed. He'll talk to the trainers and maybe see a hand specialist before determining a treatment plan. Will he need surgery? "We'll see. Pray I don't."

That Masai Ujiri, Jeff Weltman and Bobby Webster are all running NBA teams, and Teresa Resch is running a WNBA team is pretty cool. Could see a lead gig in Dan Tolzman's future too.

Ujiri would've had plenty of options, inside and outside the NBA, inside and outside of sports. Dallas is a good landing spot. Mix of elite young talent, vets and some room to build. After what they've been through, Mavs fans deserve somebody that will prioritize winning; that's Masai.

He’s back!

From Cleveland, one last time:

Even with their plucky, hard-fought playoff run coming to an end, the Raptors have a lot to feel good about. More on their Game 7 loss and successful series/season for @tsnofficial.bsky.social:

The Raptors first playoff series in four years exposed many of the team’s weaknesses but also highlighted its greatest strengths. They fought hard and gave themselves a chance to do something that nobody thought they could do. There’s value in that: www.tsn.ca/nba/article/...

Even with their plucky, hard-fought playoff run coming to an end, the Raptors have a lot to feel good about. More on their Game 7 loss and successful series/season for @tsnofficial.bsky.social:

Barnes: “We were down a couple players and my team needed me out there. Every time I stepped on the floor I was trying to be as aggressive as I can… I know I can play with that force every single time. I know how good I am defensively.”

Barrett on Barnes: “I think he shut up a lot of talk & I’m happy he was able to do that because, man, that’s a winning player. Just because he’s not a guy that comes out & tries to get 30 every night does not mean that he’s not one of the best basketball players in this league”

Shead said he sprained his ankle pretty badly. Pain tolerance wasn't issue, but he had a tough time moving in second half.

Darko on Barnes: “For this stage of his career, I think he gave it all. He made a huge stride and I think he got so much better in this playoff series, but this is not the best version of Scottie… I think we’re going to see an even better Scottie next year”

Darko: “I’m really really proud of this group and the fight that they brought, not just in the game tonight but the whole series and the whole season. I think we’ve created a culture that we’re one of the hardest playing teams in the league. We take a lot of pride in that.”

Darko: “I thought we gave it all. Everything we had today.”

A fun series that unexpectedly went the distance. In the Raptors wins alone, we got unlikely hero Jamison Battle saving the season, first team to win a playoff game shooting 32%, and The Barrett Bounce. Barnes' superstar coronation, CMB and the kids blossoming. A lot to build on.

The Raptors came into this series at a size, experience, health and talent disadvantage. Cavs were favoured in every game. Despite the 0-2 hole, shooting woes, and injuries to their starting PG and eventually their leading scorer, they pushed it to 7. Showed fight/heart/resiliency. Respect!

The same crowd that was booing in the first half is now chanting MVP while Jarrett Allen shoots free throws.

Jarrett Allen has 20 points and 15 rebounds through 3 quarters. He had a double-double (14 and 10) in the 3rd quarter alone. It took 6.5 games, but Cleveland is finally using its size advantage and the Raptors don't have an answer.

Toronto in that 3rd quarter: 5-20 FG, 1-7 3P, 5 turnovers, outrebounded 22-8, outscored 38-19. Cavs by 19 going to the 4th. Raptors running out of gas... and time.

Barnes picks up his 5th foul. 1:53 left in the 3rd quarter. Cavs by 15. Gulp.

4 fouls on Mobley with 7:42 left in the 3rd quarter. Noteworthy.

The Cavs took their first lead of the night 30 seconds into the second half and they're on a 9-0 run since. Raptors' offence has dried up. CMB in but for Shead, not Poeltl, as Darko goes with more size.

Score through 6.5 games, Cavs: 718 Raps: 718

The Raptors are defending their asses off and have forced 13 turnovers. Barnes has been awesome and Shead has more points than Harden or Mitchell. At one point, Cavs fans were booing and the timeout hype guy had to say "don't stop believing." Yet, here we are. Tied at halftime.

18 minutes in, Game 7's top scorer isn't the future hall of famer (Harden), the NBA's 6th-leading scorer (Mitchell), or Toronto's all-star (Barnes). It's the sophomore 2nd-rounder, the smallest player on the court. Jamal Shead: winner.

One of these teams is shooting 3-for-14 from 3-point range and it's not the Raptors. Schroder, Mobley and Strus must've combined for like 5 pump fakes on that last possession. Nobody wants to shoot it, and based on how this is going for Cleveland, can't say I blame them.

What a sequence. Schroder drops Shead then, maybe a little too excited about the sweet move, misses a wide open layup. Barnes comes down and knocks down a 3, then a Mitchell turnover leads to a Barrett 3pt play, and what could've been a tie game turns into a 9-point Raps lead.

Free throw disparity was 12-2 for Cleveland after the 1st quarter of Game 6. It's 12-1 after 1Q tonight. Otherwise, a lot to like for the Raptors. A 12-2 advantage in the paint. 17 of the team's 26 points from its rookie and sophomores. They lead by 2 going into the 2nd.

15 of the Raptors' first 22 points have come from their rookie and sophomores. Those guys are outscoring Cleveland 15-12 through 8:20.

CMB OMG

While the Raptors don't have much Game 7 experience (believe Poeltl's the only guy who's played in a G7), Barrett made a good point earlier: they just played an elimination game and have been fighting for their playoff lives since going down 0-2. They're ready for this and are showing it early.

2 early fouls on Poeltl... might not be the worst thing.

Cavs are going back to Dean Wade; he replaces Max Strus in the starting lineup. Raptors going with the same starters as Game 6 (Shead and Walter in for Ingram and Quickley).

Looks like a ton of Toronto fans made the 5(ish)-hour drive to Cleveland for Game 7. They're here and they're early. Far more Raptors jerseys in the crowd/concourse than I noticed earlier in the series.

Darko Rajakovic, ahead of his team's Game 7, missing 2 starters: "We've gotta dig very deep. We've gotta find a way. If we lose the game tonight, there's no practice tomorrow, there is not another game tomorrow. So, we've gotta (find) our last energy tonight."

Pistons beat (and beat up on) Orlando. So, the winner of tonight’s Cavs-Raptors Game 7 will open Round 2 in Detroit on Tuesday (and play every other day from there).

Ingram is officially OUT for Game 7

What is MLSE thinking announcing this 3 hours before a Raptors Game 7?

Once again, Ingram has been downgraded from questionable to doubtful

RJ on his first ever Game 7: “I feel like last game was a game 7 for us.” “I don’t know if the Raptors have won a game in Cleveland in the playoffs.” (They have not. They’re 0-10) “So, that would be fun.”

RJ Barrett: “Not to take anything away from the shot, very thankful, it was a great shot, I was really happy in the moment, but we’ve gotta move on. Gotta win tonight. The shot doesn’t really mean much if we don’t get the job done here tonight.”

Ingram, with a walking boot protecting his injured right heel, at shoot around the morning of Game 7.

Brandon Ingram (questionable for tonight’s Game 7) is still in a walking boot at shoot around this morning.

We back. Game 7, baby!

Brandon Ingram is questionable for Game 7. He was in a walking boot last night.

Cumulative score through 6 games: Cavaliers: 669 Raptors: 669

7:30pm start time for Raptors-Cavs Game 7 on Sunday. Winner advances to play whoever comes out of Pistons-Magic Game 7 (3:30pm Sunday).