CLEVELAND — 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, 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:
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Next week, James will take part in his 10th conference finals in the past 12 years.
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He has been part of a series sweep in six consecutive seasons, which is an NBA record in which James has no peer.
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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.
Looking broadly, the Cavs essentially strengthened as a group as the series went on. Shaking off the grip that the more physical Indiana Pacers put on them in a brutal seven-gamer, the Cavs were much more comfortable with the matchups against the Raptors. That manifested itself offensively, as the Cavs rediscovered the potency they showed during the season and got more comfortable with each game.
By Monday, the Cavs starters were moving around like it was an open gym, getting wherever they wanted on the floor and picking at Toronto’s weaknesses. JR Smith got hot, Kevin Love and Kyle Korver stayed hot, and George Hill, well, all you need to know is he had two dunks in the first quarter after having five the entire regular season.
By the end of the third quarter, Cleveland’s starters were a combined 25-of-40 shooting, and all of them were in double figures to combine for 91 points. For a team that was wheezing offensively and on the precipice of falling behind the Pacers 3-1 as James’ supporting cast wilted, it was a stunning turnaround — even by Cavs standards.
James ended Game 4 with 29 points, 8 rebounds and 11 assists. By his standards this postseason, that checked in as a pedestrian performance.
Unlike earlier in these playoffs, the Cavs didn’t need more from James, and he was able to finish this series on the bench. It’s a sign of things to come, as the Cavs will get at least five days’ rest before facing the Boston Celtics or Philadelphia 76ers. After playing seven playoff games in a span of 13 days, that is a welcome development.
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, 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.
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Jordan Clarkson breaks away to the basket, sinks a layup and gets hit by DeMar DeRozan. The refs rule it a flagrant 2 foul, and DeRozan is ejected.
Lowry also went meekly, scoring just five points.
It was one last whimper in what has been a three-year headache.
The Cavs, meanwhile, move on. In a few days, they might not even remember which team they played in this round.
Source:ESPN
