2026 NBA Playoffs - East First Round - #4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs #5 Toronto Raptors (Series tied 2-2)

iBall101 · Post #41 » by **iBall101** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 4:07 am

this might be the one playoff series where the team you expect to win doesn't. Raptors know they aren't the favorites going in. Let's see if Harden folds again in the playoffs :lol:

toooskies · Post #42 » by **toooskies** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 4:07 am

Tor_Raps wrote:
RIPskaterdude wrote:
Tor_Raps wrote:
Raptors fans are already prepared for the 1 pm slot on Saturday lol
You called it

We are an experienced bunch on US broadcasting companies hating the Raptors being based in Canada. We will always get the worst timeslot lol.

Plays to the Raptors’ advantage here though. The Cavs have played terribly in afternoon games all year.

Tor_Raps · Post #43 » by **Tor_Raps** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 4:13 am

toooskies wrote:
Tor_Raps wrote:
RIPskaterdude wrote:You called it

We are an experienced bunch on US broadcasting companies hating the Raptors being based in Canada. We will always get the worst timeslot lol.

Plays to the Raptors’ advantage here though. The Cavs have played terribly in afternoon games all year.

Raptors havent played many 1PM or early afternoon games all year so we have no clue if its an advantage/disadvantage for the raptors.

Regardless, the talent of the teams is a major advantage for the Cavs and the series should play out as such.

Slade3 · Post #44 » by **Slade3** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 4:17 am

Tor_Raps wrote:
RIPskaterdude wrote:
Tor_Raps wrote:
Raptors fans are already prepared for the 1 pm slot on Saturday lol
You called it

We are an experienced bunch on US broadcasting companies hating the Raptors being based in Canada. We will always get the worst timeslot lol.

It's not that. Because of the broadcasting rules in Canada, the NBA can't show their ads/commercials in Canada. The Raptors will be showing only Canadian commercials. So the NBA is only making money on one of the two teams when showcasing the Raptors, so they would prefer two teams where they can get more revenue from. It sucks for us Raptors fans but it's all a business / revenue decision.

Tor_Raps · Post #45 » by **Tor_Raps** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 4:29 am

Slade3 wrote:
Tor_Raps wrote:
RIPskaterdude wrote:You called it

We are an experienced bunch on US broadcasting companies hating the Raptors being based in Canada. We will always get the worst timeslot lol.

It's not that. Because of the broadcasting rules in Canada, the NBA can't show their ads/commercials in Canada. The Raptors will be showing only Canadian commercials. So the NBA is only making money on one of the two teams when showcasing the Raptors, so they would prefer two teams where they can get more revenue from. It sucks for us Raptors fans but it's all a business / revenue decision.

Sorry but thats exactly what I meant by the US broadcasting companies hating us lol.

Tor_Raps · Post #46 » by **Tor_Raps** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 4:31 am

Clav wrote:Cavs in 5... but I do think these could be close games throughout.

Cavs lead 14-2 vs Toronto in playoffs, 3-0 series wins

No point in using those numbers when it was Daddy Lebron doing that to us lol

Raps in 4 · Post #47 » by **Raps in 4** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 5:04 am

toooskies wrote:
Tor_Raps wrote:
RIPskaterdude wrote:You called it

We are an experienced bunch on US broadcasting companies hating the Raptors being based in Canada. We will always get the worst timeslot lol.

Plays to the Raptors’ advantage here though. The Cavs have played terribly in afternoon games all year.

We were built for this. 1pm start is our Denver elevation advantage.

Mr Peanut · Post #48 » by **Mr Peanut** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 5:07 am

Was looking forward to seeing the Cavs/Hawks shape up in the first round but alas. Cavs in 6 I think.

Slade3 · Post #49 » by **Slade3** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 5:16 am

Tor_Raps wrote:
Slade3 wrote:
Tor_Raps wrote:
We are an experienced bunch on US broadcasting companies hating the Raptors being based in Canada. We will always get the worst timeslot lol.

It's not that. Because of the broadcasting rules in Canada, the NBA can't show their ads/commercials in Canada. The Raptors will be showing only Canadian commercials. So the NBA is only making money on one of the two teams when showcasing the Raptors, so they would prefer two teams where they can get more revenue from. It sucks for us Raptors fans but it's all a business / revenue decision.

Sorry but thats exactly what I meant by the US broadcasting companies hating us lol.

It's not the broadcasting companies hating us, it's just Canadian law.

tundraknight · Post #50 » by **tundraknight** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 5:16 am

The good news for the Raptors is that the LeBronto era is over.

Post #51 » by **Mavrelous** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 5:20 am

Want Raps on 6, think Cavs in 6.

Marvin Martian · Post #52 » by **Marvin Martian** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 5:51 am

Going with an upset of TOR in 6. Barnes and CMB will give CLE fits and their frontcourt has been exposed repeatedly in the playoffs for being soft. Plus CLE has Harden

Mattatron · Post #53 » by **Mattatron** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 7:03 am

JXL wrote:Unlike the Knicks, the Cavs don't have the versatile 2 way wings to slow down BI and Barnes, but the Raptors won't stop Harden and Mitchell and Mobley will feast on the Raptors non-existent frontline. Cavs in 6.

Mobley never feasted on the Raps. He went invisible.

tmorgan · Post #54 » by **tmorgan** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 7:12 am

Clearly rooting for the Raps from a Pistons perspective, but Cavs in 5 seems far more likely.

Backcountry · Post #55 » by **Backcountry** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 8:49 am

Scottie always goes hard against his former national team guys (Cade, Mobley, Suggs) and we have a full squad ready to go and (I feel) underestimated. I'm hoping that Cleveland comes into this overconfident so we can punch them in the mouth right away. CMB (who is as solid as a rock) and Jakob are pretty good inside, leaving Scottie to patrol the wings on D. Defense wins championships, and these teams are pretty well matched that way. So I'm picking (hoping for, really) the upset. Raps in 6. No, seriously. Really.

And I'm happy about the 1pm start, because I'm still in Europe for a couple more weeks. I can actually watch game 1 without staying up all night lol!

Iwasawitness · Post #56 » by **Iwasawitness** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 9:16 am

It's nice to see that people still haven't learned their lesson regarding Harden. They will one day I guess.

I'm going with the Cavs here but no one should be surprised if Harden is a non factor and ends up costing them the series

Iwasawitness · Post #57 » by **Iwasawitness** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 9:17 am

Mattatron wrote:
JXL wrote:Unlike the Knicks, the Cavs don't have the versatile 2 way wings to slow down BI and Barnes, but the Raptors won't stop Harden and Mitchell and Mobley will feast on the Raptors non-existent frontline. Cavs in 6.

Mobley never feasted on the Raps. He went invisible.

You don't watch enough Cavs/Raptors games apparently.

RB34 · Post #58 » by **RB34** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 9:25 am

Iwasawitness wrote:It's nice to see that people still haven't learned their lesson regarding Harden. They will one day I guess.

I'm going with the Cavs here but no one should be surprised if Harden is a non factor and ends up costing them the series

As long as the Cavs can avoid games 6 and 7 Harden should be good.

Chuck Everett · Post #59 » by **Chuck Everett** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 9:34 am

If the Cavs lose this series, I am pretty sure Atkinson will be sacked and some more players will be moved (perhaps Mitchell). I mean, you can't question Dan Gilbert opening up his wallet here. He has done everything asked of him. Time for the players to deliver.

Chuck Everett · Post #60 » by **Chuck Everett** » Mon Apr 13, 2026 9:35 am

Iwasawitness wrote:It's nice to see that people still haven't learned their lesson regarding Harden. They will one day I guess.

I'm going with the Cavs here but no one should be surprised if Harden is a non factor and ends up costing them the series

That's why you also brought in Schröder, who is a playoff riser as a backup.

Who wins Game 5?