Calm Down Guys. Cleveland Still (Unfortunately) Makes It Out Of The East

[SHAQATTACK]

since Lakers don't want to give away their players to make room for Team LeFlop,   I guess Bron has to run to Clippers and be with a special handler , cry on my shoulder Doc Rivers.   Just don't believe after the Dwight Howard diva experience the Rockets GM or coach would want to to screw up a good team with LeFlop dominating the ball and team.

Clips for the King .......the only throne he has left.

[Fan from VT]

I think Toronto has to be the favorite at this point.

[KGBirdBias]

Until Toronto can show they know how to play in the playoffs, I still like our chances. They do this every year.

I just keep laughing at the Cavs. Ainge just totally fleeced the Cavs. IT and Crowder are shells of themselves. What people don't understand is that Stevens system makes below average players look good and average players look great.

[Green-18]

Until Toronto can show they know how to play in the playoffs, I still like our chances. They do this every year.

I just keep laughing at the Cavs. Ainge just totally fleeced the Cavs. IT and Crowder are shells of themselves. What people don't understand is that Stevens system makes below average players look good and average players look great.

I had the same opinion about the Raptors before the season but they definitely look like a different team.  This isn't the same one dimensional group from years past.  Their length, athleticism, and improved bench are all issues we would face in a 7 game series.  The pending implosion in Cleveland will only open things up even more.  At best we are on a level playing field with the Raptors right now. 

[Surferdad]

I think Toronto has to be the favorite at this point.

I still don't believe it.  Last night, C's played an awful game on the offensive end, perhaps their worst of the year.  Toronto meanwhile played incredibly good with Lowry and Wright hitting amazing shots.  Smart and Monroe really would have helped.

[jpotter33]

I think Toronto has to be the favorite at this point.

I mean, we’re still number one in the conference, and we’re tied 1-1 on the season with Toronto with both teams winning once at home. We also didn’t have Smart or Monroe last night, let alone any other bench upgrade we might get tomorrow. And it was pretty clear last night that we just didn’t show up and Toronto took the game very seriously, also playing and shooting quite a bit over their head.

If anything, I think it’s fair to say that both Boston and Toronto are favored to be in the ECF, but it’ll take the rest of the season to determine who is truly favored to come out of the East of the two.

[Moranis]

Until Toronto can show they know how to play in the playoffs, I still like our chances. They do this every year.

I just keep laughing at the Cavs. Ainge just totally fleeced the Cavs. IT and Crowder are shells of themselves. What people don't understand is that Stevens system makes below average players look good and average players look great.

The last two seasons the Raptors are 3-2 in playoff series.  The 2 losses were to the Cavs.  I'm not sure how you don't think they've shown you they know how to play in the playoffs already. 

[Phantom255x]

I'm starting to wonder if Lebron is willing to get bounced out early in the playoffs, since the Cavaliers are in no way built to beat GSW, HOU or SAS in the Finals, and so he could be 3-6 in the Finals after this season.

If their FO really does nothing big at the deadline, I think Lebron's time in CLE officially ends and he might give up on the season.

Still make playoffs but possibly lose to Washington or Toronto in the early rounds (but not Boston since losing to them and Kyrie would actually look even worse).

His body language honestly shows it.

[Fan from VT]

Toronto's point differential is quite a bit better than ours. Maybe things will change, maybe Tatum will pull out of his slump and jump a level, maybe monroe will help, maybe Irving has another playoff gear, but I think Toronto is getting pretty underrated this year. Their SRS is closer to Houston and GS than it is to us. Same for ESPN and 538 prediction models.

[KGBirdBias]

Until Toronto can show they know how to play in the playoffs, I still like our chances. They do this every year.

I just keep laughing at the Cavs. Ainge just totally fleeced the Cavs. IT and Crowder are shells of themselves. What people don't understand is that Stevens system makes below average players look good and average players look great.

The last two seasons the Raptors are 3-2 in playoff series.  The 2 losses were to the Cavs.  I'm not sure how you don't think they've shown you they know how to play in the playoffs already.

Have you seen Lowry and DeRozan in the playoffs? I'm not saying we would sweep them but I Monroe and Smart would add a different dimension to a series.

[celticsclay]

For those curious, for the first time all season the Cavs have the same odds as the Celtics to get out of the east at 2 to 1. This is pretty incredible given we are missing Hayward. Raptors are 3rd at 2.5 to one. It takes a lot for Vegas to turn on Cavs given their history and they finally have.   

[Moranis]

Until Toronto can show they know how to play in the playoffs, I still like our chances. They do this every year.

I just keep laughing at the Cavs. Ainge just totally fleeced the Cavs. IT and Crowder are shells of themselves. What people don't understand is that Stevens system makes below average players look good and average players look great.

The last two seasons the Raptors are 3-2 in playoff series.  The 2 losses were to the Cavs.  I'm not sure how you don't think they've shown you they know how to play in the playoffs already.

Have you seen Lowry and DeRozan in the playoffs? I'm not saying we would sweep them but I Monroe and Smart would add a different dimension to a series.

Sure and I've seen them win 3 playoff series in the last two seasons with the losses coming to the Cavs in both those years. 

[bdm860]

Until Toronto can show they know how to play in the playoffs, I still like our chances. They do this every year.

I just keep laughing at the Cavs. Ainge just totally fleeced the Cavs. IT and Crowder are shells of themselves. What people don't understand is that Stevens system makes below average players look good and average players look great.

The last two seasons the Raptors are 3-2 in playoff series.  The 2 losses were to the Cavs.  I'm not sure how you don't think they've shown you they know how to play in the playoffs already.

Have you seen Lowry and DeRozan in the playoffs? I'm not saying we would sweep them but I Monroe and Smart would add a different dimension to a series.

Sure and I've seen them win 3 playoff series in the last two seasons with the losses coming to the Cavs in both those years.

Those 3 series they won though, I don't think they were all that impressive.

2016 as a 56 win #2 seed:
Went to 7 games against the #7 45-37 Pacers
Went to 7 games against the #3 48-34 Heat

Those were not good looks for a team that was supposed to be at the top of the weak East and had 11 and 8 more regular season wins then their opponents.  Those playoff series left you impressed with the Raptors?

2017 as a 51 win #3 seed:
Actually started off 1-2 against the 42 win Bucks.  I think they looked legit over the rest of that series though until getting steamrolled by Cleveland in the next round (with an injured Lowry though).

Semi-interesting side note, they lost the 1st game in all 5 of those series.  Easy money bet, take the opponent in the 1st game of any Raptors playoff series. 

I don't view the Raptors as a team that has shown they can take it to the next level in the playoffs, I've think they've consistently looked very vulnerable to inferior opponents.

Sure sometimes good teams look vulnerable against worse teams, like the C's against Atlanta (and to a lesser extent Cleveland) in '08 or against #8 Philly in '12, or even last year against the Bulls, but they then turn around and look much better against equal or even superior opponents.  Have not seen that from the Raptors yet.

[celticsclay]

Until Toronto can show they know how to play in the playoffs, I still like our chances. They do this every year.

I just keep laughing at the Cavs. Ainge just totally fleeced the Cavs. IT and Crowder are shells of themselves. What people don't understand is that Stevens system makes below average players look good and average players look great.

The last two seasons the Raptors are 3-2 in playoff series.  The 2 losses were to the Cavs.  I'm not sure how you don't think they've shown you they know how to play in the playoffs already.

Have you seen Lowry and DeRozan in the playoffs? I'm not saying we would sweep them but I Monroe and Smart would add a different dimension to a series.

Sure and I've seen them win 3 playoff series in the last two seasons with the losses coming to the Cavs in both those years.

Those 3 series they won though, I don't think they were all that impressive.

2016 as a 56 win #2 seed:
Went to 7 games against the #7 45-37 Pacers
Went to 7 games against the #3 48-34 Heat

Those were not good looks for a team that was supposed to be at the top of the weak East and had 11 and 8 more regular season wins then their opponents.  Those playoff series left you impressed with the Raptors?

2017 as a 51 win #3 seed:
Actually started off 1-2 against the 42 win Bucks.  I think they looked legit over the rest of that series though until getting steamrolled by Cleveland in the next round (with an injured Lowry though).

Semi-interesting side note, they lost the 1st game in all 5 of those series.  Easy money bet, take the opponent in the 1st game of any Raptors playoff series. 

I don't view the Raptors as a team that has shown they can take it to the next level in the playoffs, I've think they've consistently looked very vulnerable to inferior opponents.

Sure sometimes good teams look vulnerable against worse teams, like the C's against Atlanta (and to a lesser extent Cleveland) in '08 or against #8 Philly in '12, or even last year against the Bulls, but they then turn around and look much better against equal or even superior opponents.  Have not seen that from the Raptors yet.

Pretty strong post here. I don't really understand holding up two 7 game series wins over inferior teams as proof of Lowry and Derozen are impressive in the playoffs. They were big favorites in both those series and underperformed. They also underperformed in their series against the cavs, which should have been a lot more competitive. Now this year their bench is a lot better and they have some exciting length and youth to add into the mix. So, perhaps the past years performance is irrelevant.

[Phantom255x]

Welp.