Cavaliers vs. Raptors: Game 3 Score and Twitter Reaction from 2016 NBA Playoffs

The Toronto Raptors went 2-0 at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the regular season, and they stuck with that successful theme versus the Eastern Conference favorites as they captured a 99-84 Game 3 win Saturday night at Air Canada Centre.

The Cavaliers now lead the conference finals 2-1 with Game 4 slated for Monday evening at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Raptors dance their way to a Game 3 win!https://t.co/HtB0a6xR0D

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 22, 2016

While it would have been easy for the Raptors to crumble after getting shredded in consecutive contests, the Atlantic Division champions looked like a revitalized group thanks to the leadership of Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo.

Yes, that Bismack Biyombo.

DeRozan led the scoring charge with a game-high 32 points (12-of-24 shooting), and Lowry dropped 20 points to go with six rebounds and three assists. But Biyombo brought the noise on both ends of the floor under must-win circumstances, as ESPN.com’s Mike Mazzeo observed: 

#Raptors running their offense in a must-win through Bismack Biyombo and delivering on defense. Of course.

— Mike Mazzeo (@MazzESPN) May 22, 2016

In 39 minutes, Biyombo finished with seven points, a franchise-record 26 rebounds and four blocks, with this one accompanied by a Dikembe Mutombo-esque finger wag: 

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As a team, the Raptors shot 45.8 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three-point range while outscoring the Cavaliers 36-20 in the paint. 

The Cavaliers didn’t reside on the polar opposite end of the efficiency spectrum, but they weren’t far off. 

After living below the free-throw line in Games 1 and 2, the Cavaliers settled for contested jumpers on a number of occasions Saturday while LeBron James, Channing Frye and J.R. Smith did the heavy lifting.

James had a strong 24 points and eight rebounds to pace Cleveland, and the addition of five assists to his final line allowed the King to move into elite territory among postseason distributors, according to the NBA’s official Twitter account:

With his last dime, @KingJames moves up to 3rd on the #NBAPlayoffs all-time Assists list! pic.twitter.com/TYd67TO1FV

— NBA (@NBA) May 22, 2016

Smith and Frye added 22 and 11 points, respectively, but the story for the Cavaliers offense revolved around the inefficiency of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. The star floor general mustered 13 points on 3-of-19 …

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