Bring on LeBron: Raptors want to beat ‘the best’
This is the third straight year Toronto has run into Cleveland in the post-season
TORONTO — For two consecutive years, the Toronto Raptors have run into a roadblock in LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
On the heels of their most successful regular season in franchise history, the Raptors set their sights on a long post-season run that they hope takes them all the way to the final.
They’ll have to go through Cleveland once again to get there. DeMar DeRozan says bring on the Cavaliers.
“Gotta go through the best to get to that trophy, every step of the way we’re going to come across somebody. So why not the guy that’s been in the finals the last X-amount of years,” DeRozan said. “Why don’t we want to be the team that knocks that team off ? That’s what it’s all about.”
Two days after dispatching the Washington Wizards, in six games in the opening round of the playoffs, the Raptors watched the Cavaliers edge the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 on Sunday, then held practice at Biosteel Centre to prepare for Cleveland.
There’s been plenty of talk about the Cavs being Toronto’s bugaboo — they eliminated the Raptors the past two seasons
with not much trouble. But Raptors coach Dwane Casey believes his team is better built to face the Cavs, or any other NBA team, this season.
“We feel very confident with our second unit, playing them, going against whoever. Whether it’s Cleveland, Indiana, whoever it is. I thought it eventually showed the other night,” Casey said. “You’ve got to have that type of confidence to go against anybody — not just Cleveland, not just Boston, not just Philadelphia. You’ve got to have supreme confidence in yourself, what you do, in your teammates at this time of year.”
After last year’s sweep by Cleveland in the second round, the Raptors reworked their style of play with a focus on better ball-sharing, and the development of the bench. The second unit was among the league’s best this regular season.
“I just think that this time of year, we have a really good team, and we’re really balanced, and we have a good chance to keep competing and advancing,” said backup guard Fred VanVleet. “It’s a new year. Those past experiences are in the past, and it’s a new year, a new team, feels different, looks different, and we’re going out there to make the outcome different.”
VanVleet was a key piece of Friday’s win, returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for all but three minutes of the series’ first five games.
VanVleet felt the effects after the game.
“Sore. Really sore. Really sore,” VanVleet said. “It’s just kinda one of those things, but a lot of discomfort, like I said, it’s part of the journey, nothing serious, there’s no long-term implications. But it’s just one of those things that’s gonna bother me for a little bit. A lot better today. Did some more treatment, get ready for Tuesday.”
There are a couple of other obvious differences in this meeting with Cleveland than past years. The Raptors have home court advantage for the first time, and have lost just seven games at the Air Canada Centre this season.
The Raptors also have the benefit of two more days of rest than Cleveland, plus a strong bench that afforded Lowry and DeRozan some much-needed rest while James logged heavy minutes in the Cavaliers’ seven-game series.
Game 2 is Thursday at the Air Canada Centre, then the series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 on Saturday and 4 next Monday, May 7.