Cleveland Cavaliers

Picks

The Cavs are on their heels heading into Game 5, having let a chance to close out this series at home slip away in Game 4. Cleveland can still win but Toronto’s toughness and defensive adjustments will keep things closer than oddsmakers expect Wednesday.

Game projections for R.J. range from 20.9 to more than 22 points in Game 5. Prior to Game 4’s blackhole of basketball sorrow, Barrett has scored at least 20 points in nine of his last 11 games overall.

With Immanuel Quickley sidelined, Scottie Barnes becomes the Raptors’ primary ball handler. His assists spiked when the PG was out at the end of the year and Toronto’s poor shooting wasted 16.0 potential assists in Game 4, with Barnes registering only six dimes. Cleveland is clamping down on him as a scorer, so Barnes finds other ways to influence the offense.

After both teams shot a collective 14 for 70 from beyond the arc in Game 4, the lid comes off the rim in Game 5. Barrett has made more than two triples in two of the first three games while Donovan Mitchell still knocked down four 3-pointers Sunday – the third time he’s hit four 3PMs in the first four games.