ECF: | (1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (2) Toronto Raptors | CLE 2-1

[Bar Fight]

I think Heat fans are the only one's delusional enough to believe their team was a threat. Get over it, guys. You lost. This thread is about the two teams remaining in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

[jumpstart]

one team gets the ECF spot by default. its a bad division.

The funny thing is the West only has one more good team in it, lol. Four teams had a shot at the WCF (no one else would beat Cleveland or Toronto either btw), and one of those (Clippers) is basically the Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs.

Toronto is not getting nearly enough credit here. Mentioned earlier in the thread if JV can come back Cleveland might be in trouble. Lowry will get to the basket at will, and Cleveland doesn't adjust personal so JV's length will neutralize Thompson. Folks thinking Cleveland just rolls through this team are mistaken.

Not buying it. They beat a Miami heat w/o Bosh and hen whiteside the last game. The east just looks better this year because all the mid tier teams are a lot closer to each other. There is still nobody close to taking out Cleveland.

But then again, the Cavs seem to lay an egg every so often and fool you.

[jumpstart]

I think Heat fans are the only one's delusional enough to believe their team was a threat. Get over it, guys. You lost. This thread is about the two teams remaining in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Its basically about one team that is a lot better. I won't be watching this series. I think its going to be bad.

[RaptorsLife]

Raptors are playing for fun. Unlike the Hawks last year. Raptors have a top 10 pick this and young players who can get better. If we can win a game that's awesome

[Thabo Sefolosha]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/OG_Mind/status/731961986041430016[/tweet]

It's funny because this picture is supposed to be a joke against the Cavs and especially LeBron, yet the Raptors won 56 games while the Thunder won 55. The Thunder are definitely better, but it's still comical how these overexaggerated narratives develop.

In fact, the Cavs have faced an opponent with a higher record in every single round compared to the Warriors, but let's keep making fun of how weak the East is.

Well the Raps have been playing historically bad and OKC have been kicking ass...

It was only meant to be a joke, don't see why people take it so seriously sheesh.

[Smitson]

What do you expect people to say? Its true. I think the raptors/miami series was really good. They're both at the same level.

one team gets the ECF spot by default. its a bad division.

Dude why are you having a conversation with yourself. It's not going to make your argument any more worthwhile.

Lol he clearly meant to hop onto his second account and reply to himself.

[yoyoboy]

Can't wait for tomorrow!

[yellowknifer]

I think Heat fans are the only one's delusional enough to believe their team was a threat. Get over it, guys. You lost. This thread is about the two teams remaining in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Its basically about one team that is a lot better. I won't be watching this series. I think its going to be bad.

Will be commenting extensively in this thread though.

[LoveMyRaps]

Lebron will once again beat another mediocre team to another inevitable finals loss...

So predictable smh....

As a Rockets fan, you have no right to talk. Your team is the most mediocre team in the league

[LoveMyRaps]

Cavs in 6.

If Lowry plays the way he's been playing, and Demar wakes up then Raptors in 7.

[Obi-One]

Cavs in 4

[everdiso]

The Cavs are the superior team, they were during the regular season but we were able to beat them 2 out of 3 games. However they had some injuries in a couple of games if i remember. Still, they were the 1 seed and since the playoffs started they've taken their game to another level. For the Raptors to have any chance they need to slow the game to a complete crawl and muck it up, then hope the Cavs aren't so hot from the outside.

Still, the Cavs have the best player in the series and 3 of the top 5 players in the series. The rest can work in their favour or it could hurt them for game 1. Hard to predict. I'm thinking it doesn't hurt them as much. Lebron seems on a mission and unlike last year has his two stars with him to help get a title for Cleveland.

We'll see how it all plays out. Cleveland could sweep but that's not a reflection of the Raptors, more how good the Cavs are right now. And the Raptors are way better poised to give the Cavs a fight than the Heat were. Small Ball would have completely killed the Heat in this round had they survived.

actually the cavs were healthy in those games.

the raps were injured - carroll missed 2 of the games for sure and val missed 2 as well iirc.

[Kabookalu]

The Cavs are the superior team, they were during the regular season but we were able to beat them 2 out of 3 games. However they had some injuries in a couple of games if i remember. Still, they were the 1 seed and since the playoffs started they've taken their game to another level. For the Raptors to have any chance they need to slow the game to a complete crawl and muck it up, then hope the Cavs aren't so hot from the outside.

Still, the Cavs have the best player in the series and 3 of the top 5 players in the series. The rest can work in their favour or it could hurt them for game 1. Hard to predict. I'm thinking it doesn't hurt them as much. Lebron seems on a mission and unlike last year has his two stars with him to help get a title for Cleveland.

We'll see how it all plays out. Cleveland could sweep but that's not a reflection of the Raptors, more how good the Cavs are right now. And the Raptors are way better poised to give the Cavs a fight than the Heat were. Small Ball would have completely killed the Heat in this round had they survived.

actually the cavs were healthy in those games.

the raps were injured - carroll missed 2 of the games for sure and val missed 2 as well iirc.

Don't know about the last 2, but the first one they missed a whole slew of players, Delly and Shumpert most notably. Other than Delly, it probably wouldn't have made a difference.

[everdiso]

lol

"teh eest sux! teh est blowz! teh east steenks!"

I swear there's like only 2 dudes with 100 different accounts that keep spewing that lol.

One can easily argue 8 out the top 10 players in the entire NBA are in the West and the 10th player is in the East to boot..

Only one team in the NBA had 3 starters in the top 25 PER starters in the league - the Raps.

TOR (3): #11 Valanciunas 22.63, #16 Lowry 22.20, #21 DeRozan 21.58
OKC (2): #2 Durant 28.25, #3 Westbrook 27.64, (#92 Adams 15.54)
LAC (2): #5 Paul 26.31, #15 Griffin 22.22, (#30 Jordan 20.66)
SAS (2): #6 Leonard 26.11, #13 Aldridge 22.43, (#67 Duncan 16.98)
GSW (1): #1 Curry 31.56, (#41 Green 19.31, #48 Thompson 18.67)
CLE (1): #3 Lebron 27.64, (#35 Irving 19.96, #43 Love 19.08)

[RaptorsLife]

If Raptors play like they did in game 5 and 7 against the heat or game 2 and 3 against the pacers this series can go 6 or 7 games. If they play like they did in other game then it's gonna be 20-30 pt blowout loses

[Dupp]

Can't wait for tomorrow!

its been too long. Hope swish will continue goating

[TroubleS0me]

we couldnt get a playoff series of

Wade vs LBJ
or
Kobe vs LBJ

Lowry vs Lebron is the better matchup. Deal with it.

boring matchup

[gino_giode]

I'm seeing a lot of Rap fans bringing up all kinds of stats/records from the regular season. You guys should know from watching the 1st 2 rounds that playoff versions of teams can manifest themselves very differently from their RS norms.

Cavs are playing nothing like they did during the regular season and the Raps should be excited to be facing a team at their best because that kind of pressure will force you to grow and pick up your game.

The Raps have shown mental toughness these playoffs to gut out 2 game 7 victories, so I'm sure they'll respond and make this competitive. I'm excited to see how the Cavs take on this challenge because if they want to get back to the finals and be competitive, they need to be tested.

[improper]

I'm seeing a lot of Rap fans bringing up all kinds of stats/records from the regular season. You guys should know from watching the 1st 2 rounds that playoff versions of teams can manifest themselves very differently from their RS norms.

Wins and losses in the regular season are largely meaningless simply because you can't look at them without context. Was it the second night of a back-to-back? Was it the end of a long road trip? Was it the night after they were in a party city? Were there injuries in play? Are there great strip clubs in the host city? Did the team limit minutes for anyone? Did one of the stars decide to take the night off on the court? Did the coaches have time to game plan for the opposing team specifically? There are just so many variables.

The playoffs are different. Guys are generally locked in every game. Wins and losses have much more meaning. Players (excluding James Harden) probably aren't going out partying the night before. There's at least one day off between games for guys to rest. Coaches are focused solely on planning for the opposing team. Etc.

I'm not saying the Cavs will sweep or anything, but Detroit won the regular season series against us too. Ask them what that meant.

[Dupp]

It's good there's a game every day but it would have been nice to have a double header on the weekend