There are two seasons for the Cleveland Cavaliers: drama and playoffs. They’re equally adept, it seems, in both.
Yet another season was riddled with potholes and puddles, official nfl jerseys cheap some particularly deep ones this time. But it’ll be yet another Eastern Conference finals for LeBron James and the “other” Cavaliers, as Saturday Night Live dubbed them, after they completed a bludgeoning sweep of the Toronto Raptors with a 128-93 victory on Monday.
First, three stats that are worthy of their own moment:
Next week, James will take part in his 10th conference finals in the past 12 years.
He has been part of a series sweep in six consecutive seasons, which is an NBA record in which James has no peer.
The Raptors take an uncomfortable footnote in that book after again being swept by James’ team on the same day on the calendar: May 7.
The last number is going to be jagged for Raptors fans. The Cavs have beaten the Raptors in 10 consecutive playoff games dating to 2016. That’s the longest streak of its kind in league history. It might be enough for the Toronto front office to execute a coaching change with Dwane Casey, who finished the regular season as a legitimate Coach of the Year candidate.
That’s what being unlucky enough to be in the same conference as James this decade will do to you. James has broken up many teams, and there might be another notch in his belt coming.
For the Raptors, it was a horrific end to a season in which they won 59 games and earned the No. 1 seed. The swagger from their bench and cohesion of stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan eroded by the game. The Cavs stole Game 1, they crushed the Raptors in Game 2, nfl nike jerseys cheap china James broke their spirits in Game 3, and it was an embarrassment in Game 4.
In a sadly fitting twist, DeRozan didn’t finish another game. He was benched in the fourth quarter of Game 3. He spent the fourth of Game 4 in the locker room after being ejected for a flagrant 2 foul on Jordan Clarkson in the third quarter. He scored 13 points before departing.
