Place: Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada.
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
TV/Radio: FSN Ohio/WTAM 1100 AM

Projected Cavaliers Starters:

PG: Jeff McInnis
SG: LeBron James
SF: Eric Williams
PF: Carlos Boozer
C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Cavaliers Injury Report: C Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (sprained ankle) and SG Kedrick Brown (knee tendinitis) is on the injured list.

Projected Raptors Starters:

PG: Milt Palacio
SG: Vince Carter
SF: Michael Curry
PF: Donyell Marshall
C: Chris Bosh

Raptors Injury Report: PF Michael Bradley (knee tendinitis), SG Jalen Rose (broken hand) and PG Alvin Williams (arthroscopic knee surgery) are on the injured list.

Key Matchups:

Eric Williams vs. Vince Carter - It is veteran Eric Williams drawing the short straw for the pleasure of guarding Vince Carter. No player in recent history has given the Cavaliers more problems than Vince Carter. Even when held down for 3-3 1/2 quarters he always finds a way to heat up and beat the Cavaliers. Even with the series of injuries Carter has had in recent years he remains one of the freak athletes in the NBA. He is an explosive leaper, with a very quick first step with much improved shooting and ballhandling ability from when he first came into the NBA. Carter, for a great athlete, is a dangerous three pointer shooter at 38%. However, he is at his best attacking the basket where is very good at drawing the defense and finding the open man with his underrated passing skills. When getting to the rim Carter is known for vicious dunks in traffic and acrobatic finishes. Carter doesn't relentlessly attack the rim as he did when he first came into the league and has become more off a jumpshooter. The Raptors like to run him off baseline screens where he can on the wing and either shoot or go into isolation. Defensively, Eric Williams has to sellout defensively as he did against Tracy McGrady in the last Magic game. It is not the Cavaliers philosophy to double team and Williams on many occasions will be on an island by himself. Not having anything close to the athleticism of Carter, Williams will have to use his experience and intelligence to play Carter. Williams to the best of his ability has deny Carter's penetration and make him shoot contested jumpers. Carter, for his part, when he gets hot starts to make off balanced, one legged 20 footers of which you have no defense for. But, when picking your poison you much rather have Carter shooting jumpers rather than attacking the basket creating and getting to the free throw line. Offensively, Williams can attack Carter in the post and make him defend. Getting some quick fouls on Carter could really short circuit a limited Raptors offense that is missing SG Jalen Rose.

Donyell Marshall vs. Carlos Boozer - The power forward most flying under the radar in the Eastern Conference has to be Donyell Marshall. Since being traded to the Raptors Marshall is the only player in the NBA in the top 25 in rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage and three point field goal percentage. With the Raptors Marshall is averaging 17.6ppg on 48.4% shooting, 10.8rpg, 1.7 blks and shooting a ridiculous 42% on three pointers while being second on the Raptors in three point attempts shooting more than Vince Carter in less games. Marshall has been labeled a tweener in the NBA but his best position is clearly PF. At 6'9 with a very long wingspan Marshall is a very good rebounder and causes real matchup problems with his ability to shoot the ball with great range. He can post up and be an inside-out player and finishes around the basket well. Defensively, Boozer has had problems all year with players like Marshall. First and foremost Boozer must keep a body against the longer Marshall who has been on a rebounding tear. He is the best offensive rebounder on the Raptors. Also, Boozer has to respect the outside game of Marshall. He is on too good of a run outside to let him shoot the ball uncontested. Boozer must get up on him and make him start to create 22-24 feet from the basket. He must also be ready to recover quickly out on Marshall after helping and try and close out on Marshall. Marshall likes to fade out to the three point line on the weakside during penetration where many PFs aren't expecting him to be. Offensively, Boozer must first win the rebounding battle with Marshall which means denying second chance opportunities and hitting the offensive boards himself. Boozer also must remain aggressive around the basket. The Raptors aren't a big team but they are long and capable of blocking some shots.

When Cleveland has the ball: In the two previous meeting with the Raptors the Cavaliers have had bad offensive strategies in trying to attack Toronto. Cleveland has run a lot of high pick and rolls in which the Raptors have just when under the screens and forced the ball to one side baiting the Cavaliers into jumpshots and poor looking runners in the lane. Toronto have had no respect for the Cavaliers ability to shoot the ball and have played zone and just packed it deep into the lane often putting all five defenders below the free throw line daring the Cavaliers to make outside shots. Cleveland has had problems getting the ball inside to Ilguaskas and Boozer and taking advantage of Ilgauskas' size advantage against the Raptors frontline. This will be first game the Cavaliers will have played against the Raptors with Jeff McInnis who since being traded to Cleveland has been a catalyst for the Cavaliers offensive numbers jumping up almost across the board. Cleveland must find a way to get out and get some easy baskets against Toronto and then get the ball inside and do a better job of spreading the floor and being less predictable. The Raptors good defensive numbers are due more to slowing the game and tempo down rather than being a good defensive team. However, someone on the Cavaliers must step up and hit a few outside shots as well as being stronger attacking the basket.

When Toronto has the ball: Toronto is last in the NBA in the scoring, rebounding and FG% but remain in the playoff hunt because they have a superstar (when healthy) in Vince Carter and play a style that keeps them in games. Despite being anemic offensively the Raptors still have some dangerous offensive players without Jalen Rose in Marshall and namely Vince Carter.. To no surprise the offense runs mainly through Carter and the Toronto will set him up in triple threat position on the wing. When Carter is penetrating and creating the Raptors are a much better offensive team. They have some good three point shooters in Marshall and Morris Peterson who is having a career year from behind the three point arc shooting 38% and rookie PF/C Chris Bosh is very good diving to the rim on penetration and in pick and roll situations. A big key for the Cavaliers will be limiting the X factors for the Raptors. SF Morris Peterson has had big games and moments against the Cavaliers in the past and recently signed veteran PG Rod Strickland had a time machine moment last night against the Pacers going for 14pts, 16ast and 7rbs. Denying penetraion is always key for the Cavaliers as it has played havoc with their defense and when the Cavaliers have had trouble rebounding it has been when the big men constantly have to come help and they give up weakside offensive rebounds. Despite, the rebounding woes of the Raptors Marshall and Bosh are good rebounders who do crash the offensive boards. Paul Silas has said that the Cavaliers strategy may be to let Carter get what he can against Williams and stop everyone else. The problem is that in a close, low scoring game Carter can win the game by himself.

Game outlook: This is a big game for the Cavaliers. A win could bring the Cavaliers sole possession of the 6th playoff spot (with tiebreakers) coupled with a Celtic loss. The biggest stat of this entire game is that the Cavaliers are 0-Vince Carter. Until that changes that's all you need to know.