Record: 27-28
Playoffs: 8-3
I am not going to sit here and patronize you with a 10 minute read on why the Cavs are going to win this game.
The series is over.
"But Scal, Game 2 is where the Raptors leave it all on the line! Vegas knows! That's why the line is Raps +2.5! They want you to take the Cavs!"
Vegas knows jack-shit in this case.
Lebron is TOYING with this team. I don't know what it is but Lebron has absolutely no fear of Toronto.
It's so bad, last game Lebron called for an alley-oop off the backboard from Kyrie. Did you see that? IN A PLAYOFF GAME. What should have been a mortal sin has turned into a circus sideshow.
That is why BegginerBoy is referencing the Harlem Globtrotters (Cavs) and the Washington Generals (Raps).
It's a disgrace at this point. This team is so overmatched it's not even competitive.
The Raps go out, get Ibaka, have Jonas healthy, have great bench, still have their big 2, have a godsend in Normal Powell in the first round (and if he didn't exist they lose to the Bucks), all healthy for most of Game 1 and 2 save Kyle's injury, and what do they do?
The EXACT same thing as last year: Get thumped in the first two games giving the Cavs sky-high confidence (not like it wasn't already there).
Remember what I said Lebron did last year? After his game 5 win to go to 3-2 over the Raps he was asked "How did you deal with the adversity of being 2-2 with this Toronto team?"
He nonchalantly replied there was no adversity. Originally I thought this could motivate the Raps. I was dead wrong. It was him mocking them, openly. Then he went out and destroyed them in Game 5 and 6 and ended the series. The question itself was an insult.
It's clear: The Cavs, and primarily Lebron, have Derozan and Kyle's number. Everyone else falls in line.
Derozan and Lowry are -98!!!! through the first two games. This is what they do folks. Get to the playoffs and fold like a wet newspaper.
Bet on the Raps? Are you fu**ing kidding me? You are going to put your hard earned money on these two pieces of playoff shi*???
Kyle+Demar through 2 games: 64 points.
Lebron alone: 74.
Come on.
And you likely won't even put your money on Lowry! How is he going to recover with this little rest time!
The bottom line is this: The Raps have no answer to the Cavs.
They went big and started Valanciunas in Game 1: The result?
6 pts 6 rebound and a -21 +/-.
They went small in game 2 and started Powell. While Val was great off the bench with 23 and 5 (a lot in garbage time as the entire game was garbage time), Powell gave everything back as a starter with 8 pts 3 turnovers 4 fouls and a game high -24 as the Raps rolled to a 21 pt win.
What will Casey do to win this game? Ask Demar for 50? Ain't happening.
This is what Casey does all the time. Let's his team dig itself a hole in the playoffs then he gets in front of reporters and says, "We play great with our backs against the wall!" Some things never change. Well the Raps are Humpty Dumpty and the Cavs are the Wall.
Patrick Patterson, another disgrace. Started in game 2: 3 pts in 18 minutes. Off the bench in game 1? 5 pts on 1-7 shooting. No answers folks. Mix and match these players however you like. Love is out there stretching the floor and they have no answers for him yet again either.
Remember last year when the Raps tied it up 2-2 with world class performances? Biyambo had 26 rebounds in one of those two wins. TWENTY SIX. NO ONE is giving you that on the Raps this year! Lowry had 35 in another. He may not even play! And Ibaka all of sudden looks out of sorts. Where and how will you get those world beating performances this year to steal a game? You'll need them. You won't get them.
Then you have Lebron, before this series EVER STARTED saying he LOVES playing on the road with a us vs. the world mentality.
I guarantee that quote has come up or will come up before game-time motivating him even more than he already is to live up to his words (and he is playing some of his best playoff basketball ever which is beyond scary for a Raps backer).
Then you have Lebron winning at least one road game in 27 consecutive playoff series. Wouldn't he love to tally another right off the bat given it's such a public stat now?
This is the NBA folks. It was only a few weeks ago the Cavs were in disarray and LBJ was sounding off and now look at them. Man, have they come to play. What a surprise. Loaf through the regular season, kill your roll, and then put it in 6th gear in the playoffs.
All of this favors the Cavs. The Raps home court advantage? The players have ALWAYS failed to respond to their fans (Freezing their as* off in Jurassic Park too) losing 9 game ones (the overwhelming majority were at home). They can easily lose this game.
Lebron and Co. would LOVE to end this series ASAP and get even MORE rest as Lebron trucks along with a ludicrous minute count.
Raps jump out to a lead early. Cavs tie it by the half quieting the fans and discouraging the once surging Raps, and then win by 7-8. I'll lay the points.
The pick:
Cavs -2.5 over Raptors
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