Yogatti wrote:Raptors title was more impressive because Kawhi faced actual competition on his way to the finals. Eastern Conference back in 2016 was an absolute joke which Lebron basically sleepwalked to the finals. Lebron also got a lucky break from Draymond getting suspended in game 5 because if that didn't happen Lebron would've got eliminated
Kevin Love missed 1.5 games with a concussion in the 2016 Finals. Or does Kevin Love only “count” when people want to make the argument that the Cavs were a “super team”? Cavs blew out the Warriors with 50 year old Richard Jefferson playing power forward.
As for the East in 2016:
Pistons vs Cavs: One person predicted a sweep, the majority were split between a 5/6 game series
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/playoffs15206459/experts-predictions-east-round-1
Hawks vs. Cavs —lots of 6/7 game predictions, but after the fact, it was, “Oh of course it was gonna be easy” disregarding the fact that it was a sweep because the Cavs put on the greatest shooting display ever in that series.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/ATLCLE-15445136/experts-predictions-cavaliers-hawks
At this point, it was apparent that the Cavs were playing at a very, very high level with LeBron in GOAT mode and teams would find it difficult to keep up with them offensively. People should have put a lot of money on a Cavs sweep of the Hawks as they’d have made a **** ton of money. But it’s just easier to say after the fact how easy it was, right?
2015
Hawks vs. Cavs—5 people picked the Hawks and not a SINGLE person picked the series to go less than 6/7 games. Love was out, Kyrie was hobbled, and still the Cavs swept a 60 win team but in hindsight, “Of course the Hawks suck, lol,”
http://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs/2015/story/_/id/12904540/experts-predictions-conference-finals
Bulls vs. Cavs: 5 people picked the Bulls, nobody picked a series shorter than 6/7 but when it was over, it was, “Of course the Cavs won because thr Bulls suck. Kenny Smith at halftime of game one (without Love or JR) said the Bulls were just a better team but afterwards, he talks about “How easy the East is for LeBron”
http://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs/2015/story/_/id/12802517/experts-predictions-round-2
2017—just more of the same
Raptors vs. Cavs: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19279167/2017-nba-playoffs-expert-predictions-conference-semifinal-matchups
Pacers vs Cavs: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19146280/2017-nba-playoffs-eastern-conference-predictions-first-round
2018–Cavs vs Toronto ZERO PERCENT chance that Cavs win in 4 or 5 against Toronto according to statistical models but it’s just, “LOOL, TORONTO. THEY WERE SCARED.” Toronto had a superior team in every way and so much so that forecasting models literally gave the Cavs zero chance to win in 4 or even 5. After they win, oh, of course.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23364079/espn-forecast-nba-playoffs-predicting-makes-east-finals




















