Series Thread: 1) Toronto Raptors vs 4) Cleveland Cavs

[tlance]

Cavs in 6.

Just don't think the Raptors are for real.

 

[handicappers]

Cavs in 5

 

[Darth Dawkins]

And here we are again.

Big difference this time, no Kyrie and the Raps bench is the best in the league. Love just doesn't seem like the same player. Van Vleet seems healthy now and I was impressed with how the Rookies played in game six. Played with no fear.

But then again, Lebron.
I'll go Raps in seven in an amazing series.

 

[Darth Dawkins]

And Casey better have a quick hook planned for Ibaka if he's bad. Man he's so inconsistent now.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Depends how the role players play.

Cavs in 7

 

[bksballer89]

Obviously the Wiz dont have LeBron, but they can be a hard team to defend/beat.
Raptors figured it out.
I feel home court advantage combined with the Cavs needing 7 games to advance will finally be enough for them to get over the hump.
If the Cavs steal game 1, then Im just wrong and its the same old Raptors.

Raptors will be crushed going to Cleveland 1-1

 

[Ojb81]

raptors.........















...in 4!!!!!

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Raptors will be crushed going to Cleveland 1-1

We'll see.
Quick turnaround until game 1.
Then game 2 is Thursday, 6 p.m..
Raptors have a golden opportunity to jump them.
Raptors are a deeper team.
There should be constant pressure.
Don't let the Cavs get going from behind the arc.

 

[OregonDucks]

Cavs are playing catch up all week, first 3 games look to be Tuesday, Thursday in Toronto and then Saturday in Cleveland. That is a brutal turn around after going 7 games and LeBron logging all those miles.

Agreed Raptors want any chance they have to win games 1 and 2. Try to steal at least 1 game in Cleveland and they may do it.

 

[bksballer89]

We'll see.
Quick turnaround until game 1.
Then game 2 is Thursday, 6 p.m..
Raptors have a golden opportunity to jump them.
Raptors are a deeper team.
There should be constant pressure.
Don't let the Cavs get going from behind the arc.

6 PM start on Thursday? Seriously

Hitting 90 here on Thursday. Doubt I'll see the first half of that one

 

[raptorlife4]

Every game only has one day off in between. No two day gaps this series. Raptors exercise their demons and slay the beast.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

6 PM start on Thursday? Seriously

Hitting 90 here on Thursday. Doubt I'll see the first half of that one

Boston game 2 is at 8:30.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Cavs are playing catch up all week, first 3 games look to be Tuesday, Thursday in Toronto and then Saturday in Cleveland. That is a brutal turn around after going 7 games and LeBron logging all those miles.

Agreed Raptors want any chance they have to win games 1 and 2. Try to steal at least 1 game in Cleveland and they may do it.

Then, factor in today's cramping.
Might be a factor moving forward.

 

[bksballer89]

Boston game 2 is at 8:30.

Both east games should not be on the same day in the week. Only on the weekends if anything. Stupid scheduling by the NBA if you ask me.

Not sure how good you expect ratings to be for a game that starts 6 PM EST/3 PM PST in the middle of the work week

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Both east games should not be on the same day in the week. Only on the weekends if anything. Stupid scheduling by the NBA if you ask me.

Not sure how good you expect ratings to be for a game that starts 6 PM EST/3 PM PST in the middle of the work week

Not ideal, just the way it worked out.
Meanwhile, I wasn’t planning ahead and I agreed to go to the new Super Hero movie Tuesday night.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Depends how the role players play.

Cavs in 7

I agree---- Cavs in 7...maybe 6.....

I worry about the Cavs defense in this series though....

the Cavs offense will be much better I think- I dont care what regular season starts where-- the Pacers had soem damn good individual defenders between Oladipo, Stephenson, Joseph, --- Thad Young was playing very solid-- Bogan went nuts one game....

Toronto is a solid team and this is def. their best team- but that last series was just a knock-down-drag-out-physical brawl of a series.

The Raptors arent like that...its a team built around 2 guys offensively.

and the Pacers could single team LeBron and kind of get away with it when you have guys like Stephenson and Oladipo...those are, as far as options to guard LeBron- pretty good options

on the Raptors who guards LEBron? ________________ --- this makes them have to double team him. Then the 3 pt shooting gets going. Indianas very solid individual perimeter defenders let them single team lebron- lebron still beat hte crap out of them but it almost worked.

I dont think the Raptors can possibly single team LeBron. They got rid of DeMarre Carrol. Who covers LEBron? DeRozan?

I am guessing they hope 20 year old OG Agnouby can do it.

Did you hear that @TurnUpTheHeat OG Anunoby is the guy that is going to be responsible for covering LeBron. If not him then Norman Powell. A LITTLE different than Oladipo and Stephenson. I cant see how they dont double team.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

I agree---- Cavs in 7...maybe 6.....

I worry about the Cavs defense in this series though....

the Cavs offense will be much better I think- I dont care what regular season starts where-- the Pacers had soem damn good individual defenders between Oladipo, Stephenson, Joseph, --- Thad Young was playing very solid-- Bogan went nuts one game....

Toronto is a solid team and this is def. their best team- but that last series was just a knock-down-drag-out-physical brawl of a series.

The Raptors arent like that...its a team built around 2 guys offensively.

and the Pacers could single team LeBron and kind of get away with it when you have guys like Stephenson and Oladipo...those are, as far as options to guard LeBron- pretty good options

on the Raptors who guards LEBron? ________________ --- this makes them have to double team him. Then the 3 pt shooting gets going. Indianas very solid individual perimeter defenders let them single team lebron- lebron still beat hte crap out of them but it almost worked.

I dont think the Raptors can possibly single team LeBron. They got rid of DeMarre Carrol. Who covers LEBron? DeRozan?

I am guessing they hope 20 year old OG Agnouby can do it.

Did you hear that @TurnUpTheHeat OG Anunoby is the guy that is going to be responsible for covering LeBron. If not him then Norman Powell. A LITTLE different than Oladipo and Stephenson. I cant see how they dont double team.

I think the Cavs 3 point shooting will need to come alive for them to win.
LeBron will almost always get his.
My guess is LeBron will see a variance of defenses.
I really hope he feels he needs to do it by himself.

 

[WiggyRuss]

lets assume Hill is not healthy enough to start--- (which sucks because the Cavs dont have a real backup PG besides Calderon)

PG- LeBron
SG- Korver
SF- JR Smith
PF- Love
C- Thompson

vs.

PG- Lowry
SG- DeRozan
SF- Anunoby
PF- Ibaka
C- VAlunciunas

Bench: P. Siakam, CJ Miles, J. Poeltl, F. VanFleet, D. Wright, N. Powell

Bench: Clarkson, Nance Jr., Hood, Hill (hurt) , Green, J. Calderon

Is this Toronto bench really that good? I am honestly asking. I know they have played really well but I dunno---- believe me i KNOW the Toronto bench has played much better than the CAvs bench- but am i the only one that would MUCH rather have the Cavs bench talent wise?

 

[bksballer89]

Is this Toronto bench really that good? I am honestly asking. I know they have played really well but I dunno---- believe me i KNOW the Toronto bench has played much better than the CAvs bench- but am i the only one that would MUCH rather have the Cavs bench talent wise?

1) Yes it is. Been that way all year.

2) Yes you are.

 

[flyerhawk]

I like Wiggy's attempts to make the Pacers into one of the top teams in the East. Pretty funny.