After a couple of days off to prepare, today’s the big series preview day. And we continue, as we always do, with a staff roundtable to gauge everyone’s feelings heading into Game 1.
As a reminder, here’s the schedule for the series:
Here’s the tale of the tape:
And here are the projected rotations to start:
And now, most of the Raptors Republic staff, roundtable style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d4JGr_cG3U
A year ago, the Raptors were mostly just happy to be opposite the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. That made Cleveland the measuring stick moving forward, and every move Toronto’s made has been aimed at closing the gap between the two teams. Do you feel the Raptors are closer to the Cavaliers now than last playoffs?
Mike Nelson: There’s still plenty of reasons to be skeptical, but there’s also a sufficient amount of evidence to realistically believe the gap has been narrowed. Now, given that Cleveland promises to be far more relentless than the Bucks, they likely won’t give the Raps the same room to breathe if they once again need to rebound from their own in-game inconsistencies. All in all, though, when you combine being humbled in last year’s ECF with the improved roster having a playoff round under their belts, all roads travelled lead to more than just a fighting chance.
Matt Shantz: Cleveland’s defense was flawed for the majority of the season and didn’t looked improved in the first round against Indiana. Their reliance on LeBron James is at all on time high since his return, and the supporting cast has aged. The Raptors are better and the Cavaliers look a step behind last year’s team. The gap is certainly closer, but it still exists.
Tim Chisholm: Are they closer? Yes. Experience and some savvy roster additions will do that for you. However, while they got closer in the B and C areas, they are still miles apart in the A area, and that’s LeBron James. The Raptors have no one on their roster that has the ability to control the ebbs an flows of the game like LeBron does. Yes, Cleveland has looked weaker than last year, but I don’t know if Toronto has closed the gap between them and Cleveland so much as narrowed it.
Vivek Jacob: Yes, the Raptors are closer to Cleveland than last year but this isn’t necessarily a good thing. After the Cavs stomped all over them on their home floor in Games 1 and 2, I thought there was a distinct lack of respect for the Raptors thereafter. I don’t think the Cavs really showed up for Game 3, and didn’t show up till the second half of Game 4. With more respect for the Raptors this year, I expect LeBron to have his guys locked in all the way. We kind of saw this transition in the regular season as well, where the Raptors went from winning the season series last year 2-1 to losing this year’s 3-1, winning a meaningless game on the final day of the season. Granted, those three losses came pre-Ibaka and Tucker, but I still think the respect factor will work against the Raptors.
Gavin MacPherson: It’s hard to say because we haven’t seen this Raptors team play against that Cavs team yet. The early season matchups were pre-Tucker/Ibaka and the late season matchup was a throwaway game for both sides. Based on how this Bucks series so closely resembled last years playoff run if the gap has been closed significantly it’s because the Cavs have taken a step back not because the Raptors have taken a step forward.
Andrew Thompson: The Raptors are much closer to the Cavs this year than they were last. That doesn’t mean that they’re close, but the gap has shrunken on both ends. Cleveland is less dynamic and more banged up than they were a year ago. Toronto has notably improved at key positions and comes in healthier. If this team falters in the second round against the Cavs, it won’t be because they aren’t as good as they were a year ago making the conference finals.
Tamberlyn Richardson: Absolutely. The primary difference resides in question 3 as the significant upgrade. Moreover, returning players all have the experience of last seasons playoffs coupled with Powell and Wright’s significant growth this season. And, while the trio of rookies might not see the court they offer two tangible qualities the Cavaliers can’t match – confidence from winning their D-League title (notably Edy Tavares missed out on that accomplishment) plus all three (VanVleet, MVP Siakam, and Poeltl) have experience with the Varsity club in the starting rotation during Raptor wins.
Shyam Baskaran: Yes. Our personnel on paper is more equipped to endure a playoff-style against the Cavs. We have the experience from last year, and not that might matter, but LeBron and company are one year older, and are coming off one championship already. Last year we were clearly just happy to be where we were, but this year, I think we all want a little more.
Anthony Doyle: The talent gap has definitely closed, and that applies on both sides of the ledger. This is a much more vulnerable LeBron team than we’ve seen since he started dominating the Eastern Conference, with real defensive issues. On the other side, the Raptors adding PJ Tucker and Serge Ibaka has to help them with defending Cleveland. Whether it’s enough remains to be seen, but this is a better matchup than last year for Toronto, and should be a more interesting series because of it.
Katie Heindl: The Raptors are closer than ever in their calibre of playing, in being able to compete head-on with Cleveland without a win seeming like a fluke. But to me the Cavs are a lousy measuring stick. The Raptors will never be that kind of team, even with the additions of PJ and Ibaka. The Raptors would have to drop a whole lot of their best qualifiers—wily, spastic, tenacious—to be the kind of team Cleveland is, it just ain’t us!
Alex Gres: Yes, yes and yes. The first yes is the addition of Tucker – a man that should make things just a bit more difficult for the King than Carroll did last year. The second yes is for Ibaka – his strengths should reduce the impact of Love and Frye while relieving the burden on our guards offensively. The third – the leader that DeMar DeRozan has become. Now able to affect the game in multiple ways as required (scoring, passing, timely steals), he is the guy that will instill the belief of a series victory (reinforced by Tucker and Ibaka) into the rest of the roster.
Blake Murphy: To answer this question you really only need to go back and look at last year’s series previews and compare them to this year’s. The talk is not about whether the Raptors could win a game, it’s about whether the Raptors can win the series. The Raptors have grown up. Last year was about the journey to get there and any success was icing (a silly saying, because cake without icing is not cake, but you get the idea), and this year was only going to be – and really, only will be – measured by this matchup. They’re not just happy to be here, and they shouldn’t be. DeMar DeRozan has grown beyond an reasonable expectation, Masai Ujiri was aggressive in adding a pair of pieces that are snug fits into this particular head-to-head, and the team shouldn’t be taken aback by what the Cavs are this time around. The Raptors are much, much closer. There is still a gap, though, and the Raptors are appreciable underdogs – last year’s series was not nearly as close as six games would suggest. There was a lot of ground to make up. They’ve made up some of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3IFqn8-4HE
The Cavaliers “flipped the switch” in round one and shook off months of shaky defense to sweep Paul George and the Pacers. Those defensive limitations still exist, though. Can the Raptors score enough against a more dialed-in Cavaliers defense?
Mike Nelson: The odds of T.O. victimizing themselves throughout this series are already relatively high, so even if Cleveland’s loose ends on defense continue to be behind them, the Raps simply can’t afford to fall prey to their usual “make or miss” death trap with any kind of regularity. I get that the Cavs’ offensive firepower will at times force their hand, but double-digit deficits (and there will be plenty) will more often than not need to be faced with a more balanced approach. Being capable is one thing, executing is another – at least we know the mindset to accomplish the latter exists.
Matt Shantz: Milwaukee has been a better defensive team than Cleveland for the majority of the season, and it was their length and athleticism that caused the Raptors some trouble. When Tristan Thompson sits the Cavs are left with almost no rim protection in their front court. While Toronto’s scoring can ebb and flow, it’s not the side of the ball I’m concerned most about against Cleveland as the Cavs desperately try and find a defensive “switch” that’s big enough to solve their numerous problems.
Tim Chisholm: Game 6 against the Bucks should be a good indicator of that: no. The Raptors are still not able to manufacture points on cue, and instead are susceptible to interminably long stretches of offensive ineffectiveness. That problem gets compounded when DeRozan and/or Lowry interpret a lull as need to score with multiple one-on-one possessions in a row.
Vivek Jacob: I’m going to put this on Lowry+Bench. Having KLOE will go a long way to addressing any offensive woes. Lowry needs to in All-NBA mode for the Raptors to have a chance. In Game 5 against the Bucks, all 12 bench points came from JV, but it didn’t matter since the Raptors were always in control. It was a more of a united front in Game 6, with 26 points spread across five guys, and they ultimately needed every single one of them. JV and Norm will presumably swap places once again, so Powell’s production off the bench if he remains part of the rotation will be critical. No, I’m not worried about DeMar getting buckets.
Gavin MacPherson: The Raptors should score against this defense, especially if they move the ball like they did for approximately 6 quarters in this series. Even with their shaky outside shooting there aren’t many defenses that can hold this team down for an extended period of time and a really bad Raptors offensive showing will probably be the precursor to a really good one.
Andrew Thompson: Did they shake off the rust? The Pacers were a perfectly average offensive team all year long, ranking 15th in offensive efficiency. In the Cavs series, they notably out-performed their in-season offensive efficiency numbers in 3 out of 4 games. The Pacers offensive rating against the Cavs while getting swept was 115.75–just slightly better than the historically great Golden State Warriors offense. Cleveland is a beast, don’t get it twisted, but they’re still playing defense like bums.
Tamberlyn Richardson: I’d argue the Cavaliers haven’t shaken off the defensive rust at all, nor do they have the personnel in which to improve it. In season, Indiana shot 46.5% from the field, 37.6% from deep and averaged 105.1 points per game. During the Cavaliers series they improved across the board shooting 46.6% FG% (+0.1) 39.1% 3PFG% (+1.5%) while averaging 108.8 (+3.2) points. The more telling sign is the Cavaliers playoff defensive rating of 111.0 ranks 13th an increase from 108.0 in season. To put this in perspective, the only teams who rank under Cleveland are the Blazers, Pacers and Grizzlies (all of whom have been eliminated). Conversely, the Raptors rank second defensively (100.7) behind only the Warriors. I’ll even factor in LeBron, Love and Irving will likely get benefit calls given their champion status, but other than LeBron, Tristan Thompson, maybe J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert who exactly is going to stop the potent Raptors pass friendly offense? Coming off a series facing length, grit and the postseasons third ranked defense the Raptors offense is going to feel like they won the lottery facing the squad who allowed the Pacers to score over 100 points in all 4 games.
Shyam Baskaran: Definitely (see my later point on our biggest strength). I don’t think the Cavs flipped any switches in Round 1. All their wins were a grind, the Pacers had problems of their own, and the Cavs defensive rating of 111.0 against a team not known for their offense is nothing to write home about. I’m extremely confident that the Raptors will be able to score a lot in this series.
Anthony Doyle: I’m not sure I buy how much the Cleveland defense got better against the Pacers. Indiana wasn’t a top tier offense this year, and still had stretches when they were able to score at will against the Cavaliers. At the same time, the Raptors offense when dialed in this year has been able to score against anyone, so I don’t think any issues as far as scoring will be caused by Cleveland as much as it’s a question of whether the Raptors will sometimes forget to move the ball there. This is a potent Raptors offense and a deep team, and I think they’ll be able to get theirs.
Katie Heindl: Flipping the switch in this case just means LeBron got on ‘em, right? Yes, the best way to beat Cleveland is by going around James, so to speak. To find those defensive flaws and take advantage of them, to take a hold of the loose thread and rip it. What worries me is buckets. We need them all. In addition to studying game tapes a mantra of DeRozan’s “Buckets, buckets, buckets” should be adopted as a greeting, set as every guy’s ringtone and used to break every huddle going forward.
Alex Gres: While the offense may prove their achilles heel in the series, the Raptors got excellent practice against a long and aggressive defense in round one. This experience should pay dividends in the second round against a more traditional defensive setup. They won’t score over a 110 in every game of the series, but will they do it 4 times? There’s a good chance.
Blake Murphy: The Raptors shouldn’t have all that much trouble scoring here. Even dialed back in, the Cavaliers’ defense isn’t one that projects as elite or anything. They have just a single rim protector, and he’s the guy they want blitzing pick-and-rolls away from the rim. They have multiple minus defenders in the regular rotation. They’ll approach the Raptors in a way that forces Toronto’s role players to try to beat them, and the Raptors have a little more experience responding to that this time around. There are still tough pieces and tough matchups – you don’t have this much team success otherwise – but Cleveland is going to get through the East (if they get through the East) on the strength of their lethal offense. Scoring Toronto will be able to do, and the Bucks were a nice tune up.
The Raptors are, in theory, better equipped to guard LeBron James this time around. P.J. Tucker is in the fold, Patrick Patterson has improved, DeMarre Carroll had a couple of good showings against Milwaukee, and even Serge Ibaka could be called upon. The Cavaliers are a dangerous, difficult beast, though. Where is your confidence in terms of the Raptors being able to slow down the Cavaliers?
Mike Nelson: I’m half optimistic, half terrified. I mean, just thinking of the impact the Raps’ revamped defense could have had a year ago bodes well for a different outcome. On the other hand, I’m fearful of the focus shifting too far in the direction of attempting to limit LeBron’s individual damage. With the real problem being: the lack of communication on switches, especially on the road. LBJ’s facilitating nature means a group effort filled with aggressiveness on the perimeter (not exactly the Raps’ strong suit) remains essential to counter the league’s second overall success rate from downtown. Also: If we thought the Refs eventually started to favor Giannis, we need to quickly remind ourselves that “The King” will receive the same treatment and then some from the jump.
Matt Shantz: This is where the challenge will be. While the Raptors’ defense has been much improved, they still have a habit of losing shooters in their switches. You can’t do that against Cleveland as LeBron James has a sixth sense for finding them in the perfect spot. Toronto at their best should at least slow the Cavs down enough, but they’ll need to play near perfect to do it and can’t get flustered.
Tim Chisholm: They look better equipped to slow down Cleveland than they were last year, but lets be honest about what that actually means. Last year, the Cavaliers were able to take total control of any game that they focused in on. Toronto had almost zero ability to affect that. This year, they may make life harder for LeBron and co., but that’s not the same as making things problematic. The Raptors need another gear, and I’m just not sure that this group has one.
Vivek Jacob: In the same way that JV had to make way for Powell to provide a better fit, I think it’s Carroll’s turn to make way for Tucker for this series. Carroll doesn’t have the strength to pressure LeBron, and though he had his moments against Giannis and the Bucks, LeBron and the Cavs are a different animal offensively. Tucker needs to start this series and have first dibs on LeBron. I don’t have much confidence in JV defending the pick-and-roll, and the Cavs will likely abuse this with every opportunity they get. They have so many variations to their attack, and while the Raptors are equipped with plenty of depth, the Cavs will find a way to take advantage of any crack in the defence. I don’t see them making swift adjustments and being proactive enough to win more than
Gavin MacPherson: They’re about as equipped to guard LeBron as a team can be but is guarding LeBron really the issue? It’s not like he’s ever been stopped and if he really wants to drop 25 in a half he’s going to do it; he just proved that against Paul George. The big concern is fielding lineups that will be able to defend to the three point line, keep track of the Cavs crafty shooters through multiple screens and still keep Tristan Thompson off the glass. If they can’t do those things it doesn’t really matter if Tucker or Patterson makes LeBron work for his 25-9-9 stat line. I like this defense more than last years but not because of the way they match up with LeBron, they’re just longer and more mobile in general.
Andrew Thompson: Saying that you’re better prepared to contain Lebron James is like saying you’re better prepared to survive skydiving without a parachute because this time you brought a golf umbrella. The fall is still going to kill you. The Raptors will be able to make possessions much tougher for the Cavs than they did a year ago. PJ Tucker can tire out Lebron more effectively over the course of a series. Ibaka can increase his degree of difficulty at the rim exponentially. But ‘bron still gon’ ‘bron.
Tamberlyn Richardson: Frankly, it’s a larger task than stopping the Bucks, but I’m less concerned about the Raptors ability to stop Cleveland’s transition game than I am their ability to defend the perimeter. My assumption is Toronto will focus more on perimeter defense, cut off James’ passing lanes and force LeBron into being a shooter. It’s a somewhat similar case to Milwaukee in that Toronto attempted to slow Antetokounmpo, but focused on stopping everyone else. Toronto is vastly improved since December 5th when the teams last played with full lineups and should use the new assets to focus on Irving and Love. If the Raptors keep Love and Irving in check while also defending the arc adequately, theoretically it should produce better results than 2016.
Shyam Baskaran: I don’t really buy the “stop LeBron” theory, but from possession-to-possession, Tucker’s physicality and strength could ruffle his feathers just enough to make a difference. I’m more concerned about LeBron’s ability to drive-and-dish to outside shooters like Smith, Frye, Love, D. Will, etc. Equally important is Ibaka’s defensive presence at the rim, which is the usually what teams that get cooked by Cleveland’s offense (like Boston), don’t have. Will any of this make a difference? One can hope.
Anthony Doyle: You can’t ever really stop LeBron, but you can take away his other weapons, and that’s where the focus should be in this series. The Raptors have a lot of looks to throw at Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and the supporting cast, and the mobility and quickness to stay out on the shooters. LeBron will score, but it’s his passing game that can really kill you if you leave guys open, and that’s what concerns me heading in. The Raptors this year have had a tendency to lose shooters, especially in the corners, and if they aren’t finding those guys it will hurt them a lot in this series.
Katie Heindl: My confidence is up, albeit a bit tired from the rollercoaster lurches of the Bucks series. Unfortunately, we don’t have many tricks to pull out of the bottom of the gym bag so it’s going to take consistency. I really liked the ball movement of late, swinging it around in a way that wound the Bucks up. We need that and we also need to not get frazzled when the Cavs grab turnarounds from the same movement because we need to come back and be tighter, more creative. The Raptors have to be cool and hot, fast and loose, slow and stealthy. The Raptors need to be the freak paradoxes they have always been, but better.
Alex Gres: Lowry’s health is another factor, and here’s to hoping his back will be up to the task of guarding Kyrie, because his heart is certainly in the right place as shown in the first round. Overall, I see the Raptors matching up very well with all of Cleveland’s roster, to the point that all but LeBron can be neutralized to their below average selves. As much as I love Tucker and believe he will get under the King’s skin, I’m wary of the zebras stealing the show and not allowing him to play as aggressively as necessary. Still, if the Raptors are able to slow down everyone around LeBron (again, Love and Frye are the key here), the games should be close and they’ll have a 50-50 chance to dethrone the tyrant.
Blake Murphy: Tucker and Ibaka were brought in for exactly this matchup, and the value they can provide is obvious. There is no key to James, and so having multiple bodies and defensive approaches to throw at him, and both Tucker and Ibaka can take turns on James. Ibaka’s bigger use, though, will be against Cleveland’s two stretchy bigs, who have given the Raptors a ton of problems in the past. There are few defenders adept at guarding pick-and-pop threats while also remaining a presence in help defense like Ibaka. Tucker doesn’t require superlatives for his defense at this point. And most importantly, both players bring up the level of the team defense through improved communication and lineup flexibility. Dwane Casey has a lot of options at his behest now, and they don’t have quite the offense-defense trade-offs some of those options have had in the past.
Norman Powell proved to be the X-factor against the Bucks, shaking off three Barely Played-CDs to make a massive impact from there. Casey has been clear the specifics of the rotation and who he’ll lean on will be fluid based on matchups. Who do you have as an X-factor against the Cavaliers?
Mike Nelson: I’ll throw a few contenders into the discussion. (1) The inevitable need to shuffle perimeter defenders in and out of the lineup boosts the stock of Delon Wright and Norman Powell. Can Norm’s really get any higher, though? (2) Dare I say DeMarre? Well, for the Raps to go beyond just pushing the Cavs to the limit and actually take this series, Carroll being able to pick up whatever defensive slack is leftover from Tucker, Ibaka, PP and Norm will go a long way. (3) Don’t be surprised if Casey reinserts Jonas Valanciunas back into the starting lineup, at least at the outset. And even if DC decides to stay with the status quo all the way through, going big can still expose Cleveland’s lack of intimidation up front. “Playoff JV” could make more than a few appearances if even a semi-regular commitment is made.
Matt Shantz: PJ Tucker. Easy answer. He’s not only the Raptors’ best shot at guarding LeBron James, but he also will help on stretchy bigs like Channing Frye and Kevin Love that have murdered Toronto in the past. A LeBron pick-and-roll with a shooting big has been the death of Toronto since Jonas can’t step out and guard the shooter, or cover LeBron in open space. PJ Tucker (along with Ibaka and Patterson) provides the Raptors a hope of slowing this style of attack down. Tucker also needs to be able to punish the Cavs when left open in the corner, as it won’t allow LeBron to play as a roaming free safety away from his man.
Tim Chisholm: Serge Ibaka. The Raptors need Ibaka to be a legit third star and to take some of the pressure off of DeRozan and Lowry when they are keyed-in on. He has to be ready to be a force every single game, at both ends. He isn’t typically what one thinks of as an X-factor, since he’s already the team’s third-best player, but as you step up a level even your big-minute starters need to level up. I think that if Serge can consistently maintain a very high level of play (which isn’t out of the question), it could be a big lift for the Raptors in this series.
Vivek Jacob: P.J. Tucker. This series is exactly why he was acquired, but what he does offensively will matter too. The Cavs will pay no mind to him when the Raptors have the ball till he gives them reason too. He’s got to knock down his corner threes at a high rate, and bring out his entire defensive arsenal for The King.
Gavin MacPherson: If the Raptors sit Norm because they’re worried about who will match up with LeBron they’re letting him take one of their best players and most reliable outside shooters out of the rotation before any basketball has even been played. This is probably what will happen based on what we saw last year but at some point the Raptors need to start trying to dictate matchups themselves instead of letting opponents decide who they will play. If Norm sits I guess we can call Valanciuanas and Joseph the x-factors, they’re the most inconsistent players who are likely to be in the rotation and will have to be positives for the Raptors to compete.
Andrew Thompson: As long as Norman Powell is physically incapable of missing from 3, it’s hard to suggest somebody else. DeMarre Carroll threatening to look like 2014 DeMarre Carroll in rotation with an effective PJ Tucker could give the raptors the potential to make Lebron grind for his points 40 minutes a game. If the Raps can stretch it to 7 games, that could make the difference on a few possessions.
Tamberlyn Richardson: Although I’m tempted to insert PJ Tucker here, it’s more likely the group defense on LeBron will serve to take a toll in a long series. Powell should still factor in this series as he can be utilized to guard Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith or Kyle Korver and better still force them to defend. But, I’m leaning toward a big man making a difference not unlike Biyombo did last season. Serge Ibaka can be shape shifted into copious roles in this series. On defense he can play rim and paint protector, counteract Thompson, defend Love and also provide minutes on James. But, offensively is where he can become the true X-factor. Ibaka’s ability to stretch the floor can expose Love or force Thompson out of the paint. Moreover, Channing Frye who was the Cavaliers 2016 X-factor is ripe to be exposed and Ibaka is just the man for the job.
Shyam Baskaran: I’ll stick to the same X-factor I predicted from the first round series – Jakob Poeltl. Powell’s impact will likely be limited given the Cavs will plan for him, and I’m not sure strong play from him is really that shocking anymore. Our defense guarding LBJ and company will be key. Poeltl is someone who has smarts on D, and with JV likely to show some cringe-worthy defense against Cleveland, I think it makes a guy like Poeltl an interesting piece.
Anthony Doyle: As much as I love Norm, I’m not sure he’s the right guy for this series because of the limitations for both him and DeMar DeRozan in that neither of them can guard either LeBron or Kevin Love, which makes it hard to start both of them. I’d like to see Delon Wright get more minutes in this series, because I feel like he has proven adept at both navigating defenses and creating opportunities for his teammates, as well as he can give the Raptors a bigger, longer defender on Kyrie Irving for stretches. Whether or not he’ll see time remains to be seen, but if he does get a chance, he could definitely help the team in this series.
Katie Heindl: I have a bad feeling the Cavs are going to have Norm’s number, so he might be out. With the Bucks, The Raptors had to be relentless at going after their confidence. Cleveland won’t care if we do that. Ibaka will be a big piece, and if his handling and confidence stay up, so will JV. Cory has the game IQ with this calibre of team, but he needs to slow down and think about his passing because that could kill us. P.J.’s defensive strategy of being unrelenting should be everyone’s X-factor.
Alex Gres: The newly minted D-League champion in Bruno ‘half-KD-half-Greek-Freak’ Caboclo, of course. In all seriousness, I called Wright as the X-factor in round 1, and was wrong. I’ll double down now, as I think his length could make it just a bit harder for the likes of Smith, Irving and Williams to shoot over. At the same time, his offensive maneuvering could shred the leaky Cavaliers defense, creating easy scoring opportunities for himself and others.
Blake Murphy: Last series, I went with Powell as a guy not firmly in the rotation who might break through. I’m going the other way with this one and tabbing Jonas Valanciunas, who stands as a big swing piece in terms of how the Raptors will approach things. Because he can’t really be on the floor against Love-Frye combos, he’ll need to start, and Tristan Thompson has outplayed him in the recent past. Valanciunas responded really nicely to a move to the bench last series, and he’ll need to carry that momentum over to the starting lineup here, because the Raptors probably don’t want to have to go small right from the jump every game. Valanciunas should be able to battle Thompson on the glass and help the offense with his ridiculous screens, which frees Ibaka to stay on Love (important) and play his center minutes against the Cavs’ lethal bench groups.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENKFJGDCp6w
What do you see as the Raptors’ biggest strength in this series? Their biggest weakness?
Mike Nelson: Other than the learning experiences from the past four years, their biggest strength is now how versatile their rotation can be. Being able to rely on their depth and have it potentially disrupt Cleveland’s ability to counter should serve them well. Biggest weakness: As per usual, it’s almost as if the Raps need to have obstacles thrown their way in order to operate at full capacity. Sure, it’s gotten them this far, but tempting adversity at such an alarming rate against such a dagger-happy squad is a recipe for disaster.
Matt Shantz: Biggest weakness: the other team employs LeBron James, the best player on the planet. Biggest strength…the Raptors still have Bruno waiting in the wings. But seriously, Toronto’s biggest strength is their defense. Toronto has shown since the additions of PJ Tucker and Serge Ibaka that they have the ceiling of an elite defensive team. We haven’t seen that level from the Cavs since December.
Tim Chisholm: Their biggest strength is their versatility of lineups. They can throw a lot of different looks at the Cavaliers that they couldn’t show them a year ago. However, their biggest weakness remains inconsistency, which can render certain lineup combinations ineffective from game-to-game.
Vivek Jacob: The closing five of Kyle-DeMar-PJ-Patterson-Ibaka. If the Raptors can hang tight for three quarters, this group could be the difference. Playing catch up, something that has become the Raptors way, will absolutely not work against the Cavs, so how they start and who they start will establish the ceiling for that closing group.
Gavin MacPherson: Both teams biggest strength is their offense, biggest weakness is their defense. The Raptors defense looked solid against subpar competition down the stretch and eventually defended well against a half-decent Bucks squad but a locked in Cavs team with this many weapons is a completely different animal and can’t be solved by going under screens. Going up against the Cavs defense allowed the Pacers offensive rating to jump from 106.2 in the regular season to 111 in the playoffs. Until we see the Cavs defend consistently there’s no reason to believe they’ll be able to slow this Raptors team down if they’re moving the ball.
Andrew Thompson: Their biggest strength against this particular Cavs team may prove to be legitimate depth. The Cavs are older, thinner and have JR Smith and others still not at 100%. Having a roster with 9 reliable players could possibly make them look old and slow. Possibly. Maybe. I hope so. Because damn, Lebron is a cheat code.
Tamberlyn Richardson: Strength: Defense is the obvious answer as outlined above, but the Raptors true strength lies in their depth and subsequent ability to make more adjustments because of that depth. The reason I had a hard time picking one X-factor was precisely because of Toronto’s depth. Delon Wright could cause all kinds of issues for Cleveland and the depth of the Raptors bigs also offers countless remedies for Casey that Tyronn Lue has only aging bodies to counter with. Ultimately, the longer this series goes, the better Toronto’s chances are to win. Weakness: Two things stand out – consistency and belief. Toronto can ill afford to take off possessions let alone entire quarters versus Cleveland. While I’m not buying the Cavaliers defense, (unlike the Bucks) the Cavaliers are an offensive juggernaut who’ll make Toronto pay if they fall into bad habits of slow starts, lapses when ahead or taking long stretches off. And, for as much as this Raptors squad is gritty and never gives up, may I remind you of their last game. Taking the next step is never easy and ousting the current Champs would be a giant step. So, when the Raptors find themselves at the moment how will their brains react?
Shyam Baskaran: Biggest strength: Our offense, and specifically our backcourt. Given Lowry is likely not to have another weak offensive performance in a series, and against a weaker defender in Irving, I can see Lowry (like he did last year), taking full advantage. Kyle and DeMar averaging a combined 40+ during this series would not surprise me. Biggest weakness: Our supporting cast besides Kyle, DeMar and Serge. The Raptors will have no hope in hell if cold shooting from CoJo, Patterson, Carroll and others hamper them.
Anthony Doyle: The team’s biggest strength in this series will be their defensive versatility at the forward and center positions. With DeMarre Carroll, PJ Tucker, Serge Ibaka, Patrick Patterson, Jonas Valanciunas and even perhaps Jakob Poeltl, the team can throw a lot of frontline looks at the talented Cavs forwards, which should help them contain their offense and control the boards. As far as weakness, I think it’s the lapses the Raptors have. This will be a close series if the Raptors hope to win, and they can’t afford to be giving away quarters, halves or games if they hope to come out as the winners. Have to limit the moments where they forget what their game is and how they’ve been successful.
Katie Heindl: Strength – Coming in decently rested (2 days more than 7 games would’ve given!), the sequel mentality of this match up, having just shown some really dogged defence and penetrative offence. Weakness – Overthinking it, getting rattled, LeBron James.
Alex Gres: Biggest strength – hunger and belief. Cleveland has already been to the mountaintop, and though LeBron’s appetite is never sated, I am not sure it’s as true about the rest of his squad. The Raptors on the other hand have been ignored time and again as an Eastern threat. That’s not new, but this season things are different in that they actually have the pieces to mount a serious challenge. And they believe they can do it. Biggest weakness – no LeBron James. It may just be that they’ll do everything right, but fall to the sword anyway if LeBron continues to impose his will and play to his maximum ability. He is the greatest difference maker in basketball, and as such represents both the Cavaliers’ strength and the Raptors’ weakness.
Blake Murphy: The biggest weakness the Raptors have, until they show otherwise, is their penchant for disappearing for quarters or even games at a time. They worked their asses off in this series last year and still got run off the floor on four occasions. There’s just no room for sleepy stretches against the Cavaliers, and the Raptors need to make sure those are a thing of the (very recent) past. In terms of strength, it’s definitely their defensive versatility. When P.J. Tucker, who has shot really well from the corners since joining the team, is the best candidate to get the Tony Allen treatment in the series, you’re in pretty good shape in terms of raising your defense without sacrificing too much on the other end. Ibaka is such a massive piece here and opens up a lot on one side for Casey without taking away from the other.
Call it.
Mike Nelson: Considering the Raps’ window has never been this big, the temptation to spread as many positive hometown vibes as I can is very real. But to be able to actually pick the Raps, they would have had to have already earned our complete trust instead of still being in the process of doing so. Pick: Cleveland and LeBron’s six straight finals winning in seven with the deciding game reaching quadruple overtime. #Jinx
Matt Shantz: I desperately want to pick a Raptors’ upset here, but I’m a realist (or a coward, take your pick in terminology). Cavs in 7.
Tim Chisholm: Cavs in 5.
Vivek Jacob: Cavs in five.
Gavin MacPherson: Cavs in 6, which wouldn’t be a bad result considering how bad the Bucks series started.
Andrew Thompson: Cavs in 6. But the the Raptors win their games legitimately this year instead of Cleveland kind of letting it happen. I want to believe, this is me emotionally hedging my bets. As a sports fan, I’m an emotional and superstitious wreck and this feels like the play that best covers all of my nonsensical bases.
Tamberlyn Richardson: No use changing what I’ve said pre- playoffs, so I’m sticking with my original prediction of Raptors in 7 (though, ideally Toronto get a shot in Game 6, so the fans get to celebrate with them).
Shyam Baskaran: Realistic prediction: Cavs in 6. Prediction just because: Raps in 7.
Anthony Doyle: My heart says Raptors in 7, my head says Cavaliers in 6. I think this is definitely a winnable series, but it’s going to be tough and the Raptors aren’t getting out easily. If they can limit their mistakes and keep their defensive intensity up, they can come out ahead. I’ll go with my heart, Raptors in 7.
Katie Heindl: Blake, I won’t.
Alex Gres: The East is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. In a series for the ages, Raptors in 7.
Blake Murphy: Cavaliers in six. But it will be a much closer six than last year, and I think the probability for an upset is much greater this time around, and it wouldn’t surprise me much if some of the optimism found here proves warranted. (How possible do I think a Raptors upset is? I’m supposed to go on a trip in early June and refuse to book anything until this series ends.)
