Raptors swept aside, again, by LeBron, Cavs
Toronto’s season ends with another blowout, bows out in 2nd round
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers put the Raptors to the sword for the third straight year Monday, posting a 128-93 blowout win to end Toronto’s record-breaking season with a sweep in the Eastern Conference semifinal.
Toronto’s so-called culture reset — sharing the ball and firing threepointers — led to a franchise-record 59 wins in the regular season.
But it was the same old story in the post-season with no answers for LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
In a must-win game with their season on the line, the Raptors were eviscerated.
Cleveland led by four after the first quarter, 16 at the half and 28 after three. The Raptors’ defence was shredded with the Cavaliers racking up 100 points in the first three quarters on 63.9 per cent shooting.
Raptors star DeMar DeRozan’s miserable series continued as he was ejected for a flagrant foul-2 with 23 seconds left in the third for catching Jordan Clarkson, who was soaring to the basket, on the head with his arm.
DeRozan finished with 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
James had 29 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds and showed off more than few party tricks with Cleveland turning the screw on the Raptors as the game wore on. He had 15 points in the third quarter to hammer the nail into Toronto’s coffin.
Kevin Love added 23 points for Cleveland, with all five starters in double figures.
Both the Cavs and Raptors starters watched from the bench as the final minutes unfolded, the outcome never in doubt.
Jonas Valanciunas led Toronto with 18 points. C.J. Miles had 13, while Kyle Lowry had five.
The fans at Quicken Loans Arena celebrated to the sounds of Drake’s “God’s Plan” during a timeout midway through the fourth.
Cleveland swept Toronto in the Eastern semifinals last season and 4-2 in the East final in 2016.
The Cavs advance to the Eastern Conference final for the fourth straight season and the eighth time in franchise history (1976, 1992, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2017). They will face either Boston or Philadelphia.
Cleveland won the first two games in Toronto 113-112 in overtime and 128-110 before edging the Raptors 105-103 on James’ buzzer-beater.