NBA playoff success hinges on adjustments, and the Toronto Raptors are preparing for an early start as they face the Cleveland Cavaliers. Game 4 is set for a 1 p.m. ET tipoff on Sunday, with Cleveland leading the series 2-1.
Players like Brandon Ingram are adjusting their routines, aiming for earlier bedtimes to cope with the changed schedule. Center Jakob Poeltl acknowledged the routine shift but emphasized that the early start affects both teams equally.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic scheduled Saturday's practice to align with the Sunday start time, focusing on core fundamentals and team culture rather than physical clock adjustments. Toronto, after dropping two games in Cleveland, secured a decisive 126-104 victory in Game 3 by intensifying their defensive efforts and limiting the Cavaliers' offensive threats.
Adding to their challenges, the Raptors announced guard Immanuel Quickley will miss the remainder of the first-round series due to a aggravated hamstring strain. Quickley, a key player averaging 16.4 points and 5.9 assists, had missed the first three games. Second-year guard Ja’Kobe Walter started in Game 3 in Quickley's absence.