ECSF: P3 | (1) Toronto Raptors vs Cleveland Cavaliers (4) | CLE wins 4-0

[TheKingOfVa360]

[Alonzo_Morning]

Lebron just seems to be on another level right now

It's like that Pacers series woke up another beast. If he makes it to the finals and beats the Warriors. I'll have a hard time saying he's not the GOAT

Cavs v Raptors was a lot like Pels v Portland.

Look like world beaters until you come up against the Warriors

[RGM_SU]

Raptors are an embarrassment. Remember all those threads in the regular season saying how the Raptors are overlooked, how the aren't the 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks because of their SRS and stuff? The Hawks got swept by 53 total points. The Raptors lost by a combined 56 points.

And looking back at some of the responses I got for saying that Cleveland should be favoured against Toronto before the series began:

Wait so Raptors haven't looked good against Wizards (imo they were ok) but you don't bring up the fact that Cavs looked like trash against the Pacers. Also Lowry doesn't dissapear against the Cavs, he's just always been injured. Anyways this year the Raptors aren't dependent on Lowry and Demar, it's a whole team effort. Cavs can limit Lowry to 10 points but that won't matter.

The Cavs sure looked great against Indiana

Toronto was +12 over 6 games in the first round. Cleveland was -40 over 7 games. And a healthy Washington looked just as dangerous as Indiana going into the playoffs. If Toronto didn't look good in the first round, Cleveland looked terrible.

That sure worked out great.

[LightTheBeam]

Lebron just seems to be on another level right now

It's like that Pacers series woke up another beast. If he makes it to the finals and beats the Warriors. I'll have a hard time saying he's not the GOAT

Cavs v Raptors was a lot like Pels v Portland.

Look like world beaters until you come up against the Warriors

Eh.. the warriors are great and by far still the favorites. But I wouldn't compare these pelicans to the Cavs. Cavs have lebron james, he can single handedly take a series.

Davis is great, but he hasn't become that great yet. Hes steal a game great, not take a series.

[Alonzo_Morning]

Of course its selling well. It would legitimately be badass and clever, IMO, if it wasn't blatantly stolen from a TV show and about a team that was just swept as a one seed.

Agreed, more or less. I haven't seen "the north remembers" pushed so much aside from a couple commentators but maybe I missed that. At least we the north isn't a direct quote..?

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

We the North is still cringe, but not as bad as the North Remembers, no. I still wish the Rapz could have came up with a campaign that wasn't just jacked straight from a TV show though. I get that its catchy and everything but its so unoriginal.

If by catchy you mean total cringe then agreed

[Alonzo_Morning]

When a #1 seed is defeated by LeBron, they suddenly become the worst #1 seed in history

Lebron is the most hated basketball player of this millennium....and it's all purely basketball related hate too...he's an unselfish/efficient/high bbiq player which RealGM usually GUSHES over...but half of the board hates him like he ran over their dog

I think you mixed up Bron and Durant

[diamondsfinest]

Please stop. Who do we have. JV and Aldridge will be a terrible fit in the starting lineup. They have dejonte murray as their future staring point guard. They don't have any need for JV, delon, norm, potel. Siakam, and OG aren't star prospects. We don't have any valuable first round picks to trade. Where is there a common ground for a deal?? We have to include JV, Og, siakam, unprotected future first round picks, and prolly delon to even get talks starred, and Masai will never do

I was thinking something like your 2020 first unprotected and this : https://basketball.realgm.com/tradechecker/saved_trade/7043416 You lose Derozan,Poeltl,Siakam and get Leonard by also eating Gasols contract

Interesting. I could see spurs being interested in derozan and eating gasol contract is enticing for them. But there needs to be more than one unprotected first round pick involved. More like derozan, siakam, potel, two future firsts for kawhi and gasol. Even then why would Masai do this? It goes agaisnt everything with him, why would kawhi resign in Toronto for 5 more years too. Not a good fit, for either side. If I'm the raptors I look to trading demar to clippers for Tobias Harris, and one of their lottery picks.

Well that would give

Lowry FVV
Miles Wright/Powell
Leonard Anunoby
Gasol/Ibaka
Val/Gasol/Noguiera

which could be a better team. Depending on what is exactly traded. Leonard is one of the greatest perimeter defenders to ever exist, wanna stop Lebron? Put Leonard on him. Could actually turn the tables.

It all depends how much Masai can work his voodoo magic like getting a #9 for Bargnani. Thats some serious mind games. I mean this is San Antonio.

[lambchop]

Lebron just seems to be on another level right now

It's like that Pacers series woke up another beast. If he makes it to the finals and beats the Warriors. I'll have a hard time saying he's not the GOAT

Cavs v Raptors was a lot like Pels v Portland.

Look like world beaters until you come up against the Warriors

So difficult for any team against 2 prime mvps and 2 all stars. Pelicans look like trash now, but their still one of the better teams in the west.
Cavs will look like trash against them, but there's not much you can do against a squad like that. Though of course, HOU has an interesting team.

[RaptorsLife]

LOL that post by inventible still has me tears

[jason bourne]

Man I really feel I'm owned an apology from at least a handful of Raptors fans.

I kept saying how they would lose in 5 or 6, and how there team wasnt very different and lebron is still lebron. I said Indiana was a tougher matchup and that lebron and the new guys needed time to gel.

I was labeled a troll, told I had no knowledge and I'm living in the past. **** talked by at least 5-10 different fans.

And look what happened. Sweep..

Congrats to the GOAT

First, you want an apology from the Raps fans who razzed you. Okay, you were right and they were wrong. I kinda held my breath because LeBron has owned the Raps before. However, how can you say after that LeBron is the GOAT when he beat up a team that he's used to beating up? LeBron has got to get past the teams like the Celtics and the winners out of the WCF. Then he'll finally have the 4th ring which puts him into the HOF winners circle. You're putting the cart before the horse.

[IbakasD]

I was thinking something like your 2020 first unprotected and this : https://basketball.realgm.com/tradechecker/saved_trade/7043416 You lose Derozan,Poeltl,Siakam and get Leonard by also eating Gasols contract

Interesting. I could see spurs being interested in derozan and eating gasol contract is enticing for them. But there needs to be more than one unprotected first round pick involved. More like derozan, siakam, potel, two future firsts for kawhi and gasol. Even then why would Masai do this? It goes agaisnt everything with him, why would kawhi resign in Toronto for 5 more years too. Not a good fit, for either side. If I'm the raptors I look to trading demar to clippers for Tobias Harris, and one of their lottery picks.

Well that would give

Lowry FVV
Miles Wright/Powell
Leonard Anunoby
Gasol/Ibaka
Val/Gasol/Noguiera

which could be a better team. Depending on what is exactly traded. Leonard is one of the greatest perimeter defenders to ever exist, wanna stop Lebron? Put Leonard on him. Could actually turn the tables.

It all depends how much Masai can work his voodoo magic like getting a #9 for Bargnani. Thats some serious mind games. I mean this is San Antonio.

Lol that team will get destroyed by healthy Boston,
Cleveland, Philly.

[diamondsfinest]

Interesting. I could see spurs being interested in derozan and eating gasol contract is enticing for them. But there needs to be more than one unprotected first round pick involved. More like derozan, siakam, potel, two future firsts for kawhi and gasol. Even then why would Masai do this? It goes agaisnt everything with him, why would kawhi resign in Toronto for 5 more years too. Not a good fit, for either side. If I'm the raptors I look to trading demar to clippers for Tobias Harris, and one of their lottery picks.

Well that would give

Lowry FVV
Miles Wright/Powell
Leonard Anunoby
Gasol/Ibaka
Val/Gasol/Noguiera

which could be a better team. Depending on what is exactly traded. Leonard is one of the greatest perimeter defenders to ever exist, wanna stop Lebron? Put Leonard on him. Could actually turn the tables.

It all depends how much Masai can work his voodoo magic like getting a #9 for Bargnani. Thats some serious mind games. I mean this is San Antonio.

Lol that team will get destroyed by healthy Boston,
Cleveland, Philly.

Depends on who's coach. Should I remind you we were running the Cavs out of the building in game 1 until they started outcoaching us and everyone gave up. We erased a ten point deficit without Derozan, could be another addition by subtraction. The defence alone of Leonard to Derozan is enough to turn the tides in some cases.

[LightTheBeam]

Man I really feel I'm owned an apology from at least a handful of Raptors fans.

I kept saying how they would lose in 5 or 6, and how there team wasnt very different and lebron is still lebron. I said Indiana was a tougher matchup and that lebron and the new guys needed time to gel.

I was labeled a troll, told I had no knowledge and I'm living in the past. **** talked by at least 5-10 different fans.

And look what happened. Sweep..

Congrats to the GOAT

First, you want an apology from the Raps fans who razzed you. Okay, you were right and they were wrong. I kinda held my breath because LeBron has owned the Raps before. However, how can you say after that LeBron is the GOAT when he beat up a team that he's used to beating up? LeBron has got to get past the teams like the Celtics and the winners out of the WCF. Then he'll finally have the 4th ring which puts him into the HOF winners circle. You're putting the cart before the horse.

Lebron didn't become the GOAT because of this series. Hes been the GOAT since the 2016 championship.

Also wait for it... unpopular take incoming.. because context matters. Jordan never faced an opponent as good as the warriors. Hot take, he never faced an opponent as good as the spurs. Hell he probably never faced an opponent as good as the 2011 Dallas Mavericks or 2012 OKC thunder.

Those teams Jordan faced were basically 2 man shows. This warriors team is like having draymond/klay/stockton/malone.. even then it's still probably not the same.

Also just because you list some arbitrary number 4 as the HOF circle doesn't make it true. Hes the GOAT because hes the greatest player to ever step foot on a basketball court. He has talents that no player has ever showcased. It's like some sick hybrid of the best from magic/Jordan/Kobe.

[JordansBulls]

Lebron just seems to be on another level right now

It's like that Pacers series woke up another beast. If he makes it to the finals and beats the Warriors. I'll have a hard time saying he's not the GOAT

Cavs v Raptors was a lot like Pels v Portland.

Look like world beaters until you come up against the Warriors

This exactly. Anthony Davis vs Damian is like Lebron vs Derozan.

[Ymountain]

Raptors will never have a better chance to beat the Cavs and they simply couldn't rise to the challenge. Seeing as they got the 1st seed in the East, the team should be better than getting swept. Their issues are simply mental whenever its Lebron and can't be easily fixed.

The first step should be to fire Casey. He's had so many chances to beat the Cavs and never delivered. Being a good regular season coach isn't good enough. Perhaps they should also review the Derozan/Lowry core, they consistently find a way to underachieve in the playoffs.

[JordansBulls]

Man I really feel I'm owned an apology from at least a handful of Raptors fans.

I kept saying how they would lose in 5 or 6, and how there team wasnt very different and lebron is still lebron. I said Indiana was a tougher matchup and that lebron and the new guys needed time to gel.

I was labeled a troll, told I had no knowledge and I'm living in the past. **** talked by at least 5-10 different fans.

And look what happened. Sweep..

Congrats to the GOAT

First, you want an apology from the Raps fans who razzed you. Okay, you were right and they were wrong. I kinda held my breath because LeBron has owned the Raps before. However, how can you say after that LeBron is the GOAT when he beat up a team that he's used to beating up? LeBron has got to get past the teams like the Celtics and the winners out of the WCF. Then he'll finally have the 4th ring which puts him into the HOF winners circle. You're putting the cart before the horse.

Agreed!! He couldn't even beat prime Dwight. Even Kobe did that. Kobe even beat Prime Duncan as well, while Lebron had to have some luck to beat old Duncan due to Ray Allen.

[LeBird]

Lebron didn't become the GOAT because of this series. Hes been the GOAT since the 2016 championship.

Also wait for it... unpopular take incoming.. because context matters. Jordan never faced an opponent as good as the warriors. Hot take, he never faced an opponent as good as the spurs. Hell he probably never faced an opponent as good as the 2011 Dallas Mavericks or 2012 OKC thunder.

Those teams Jordan faced were basically 2 man shows. This warriors team is like having draymond/klay/stockton/malone.. even then it's still probably not the same.

Also just because you list some arbitrary number 4 as the HOF circle doesn't make it true. Hes the GOAT because hes the greatest player to ever step foot on a basketball court. He has talents that no player has ever showcased. It's like some sick hybrid of the best from magic/Jordan/Kobe.

Exactly. People just want to concoct a narrative LeBron has to live by or some other warped nonsense. LeBron is the GOAT because of all that you mentioned. Jordan in his wildest dreams could never do what LeBron did in 2016. Heck, he never won when he was the underdog and LeBron does that consistently.

The best team Jordan faced were more like the Griffin/Paul Clippers. Stockton and Malone may have been better as a duo but the Jazz had no real depth either. I grew up watching the 90s teams, most those teams would be lottery teams today.

[WarriorGM]

I don't know the contract situations but would a straight swap of Lowry and DeRozan for Conley and M. Gasol be possible?

[LightTheBeam]

Man I really feel I'm owned an apology from at least a handful of Raptors fans.

I kept saying how they would lose in 5 or 6, and how there team wasnt very different and lebron is still lebron. I said Indiana was a tougher matchup and that lebron and the new guys needed time to gel.

I was labeled a troll, told I had no knowledge and I'm living in the past. **** talked by at least 5-10 different fans.

And look what happened. Sweep..

Congrats to the GOAT

First, you want an apology from the Raps fans who razzed you. Okay, you were right and they were wrong. I kinda held my breath because LeBron has owned the Raps before. However, how can you say after that LeBron is the GOAT when he beat up a team that he's used to beating up? LeBron has got to get past the teams like the Celtics and the winners out of the WCF. Then he'll finally have the 4th ring which puts him into the HOF winners circle. You're putting the cart before the horse.

Agreed!! He couldn't even beat prime Dwight. Even Kobe did that. Kobe even beat Prime Duncan as well, while Lebron had to have some luck to beat old Duncan due to Ray Allen.

Lol it's always Jordan/Kobe fans putting lebron down. You make it seem as if those Kobe/lebron teams are on equal levels. One team had Ilgauskas/Andy/Moe Williams while the other had Gasol/bynum/Ariza or artest/fisher.

In other words Cavs were a 20 win team without lebron, while the lakers still would have made the playoffs with Kobe.

Lebron has faced 100x tougher finals opponents than Jordan ever did. (And I'm actually a bigger fan of 90s basketball) but its evident teams just weren't as stacked as they are now days.

[Franco]

Man I really feel I'm owned an apology from at least a handful of Raptors fans.

I kept saying how they would lose in 5 or 6, and how there team wasnt very different and lebron is still lebron. I said Indiana was a tougher matchup and that lebron and the new guys needed time to gel.

I was labeled a troll, told I had no knowledge and I'm living in the past. **** talked by at least 5-10 different fans.

And look what happened. Sweep..

Congrats to the GOAT

First, you want an apology from the Raps fans who razzed you. Okay, you were right and they were wrong. I kinda held my breath because LeBron has owned the Raps before. However, how can you say after that LeBron is the GOAT when he beat up a team that he's used to beating up? LeBron has got to get past the teams like the Celtics and the winners out of the WCF. Then he'll finally have the 4th ring which puts him into the HOF winners circle. You're putting the cart before the horse.

Agreed!! He couldn't even beat prime Dwight. Even Kobe did that. Kobe even beat Prime Duncan as well, while Lebron had to have some luck to beat old Duncan due to Ray Allen.

Are you serious right now? LeBron got his against Orlando, while half his teammates choked to hell that series.

That's like saying "LeBron beat Durant 4-1, while the Duncan and Kawhi lost twice to them!" or "Bird owned Jordan!". It's just ridiculous