Cleveland (1-0) at Toronto (0-1)
When: Thursday, May 3rd 2018
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto
Time: 6:05 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Toronto -6/212.5
The Toronto Raptors were the best team in the Eastern Conference this season and finally looked primed to get over the hump they call the Cleveland Cavaliers in the postseason. They had plenty of rest prior to Game 1, while the Cavaliers were coming off a grueling seven-game series against the Indiana Pacers. Advantage Toronto, right? Not when they’re up against LeBron James. Cleveland erased a 13-point deficit in the second half and survived multiple chances for the Raptors to win late in regulation and again in the closing seconds of overtime for a 113-112 win Tuesday night. The Raptors never trailed in regulation time, and still managed to lose. That makes it five-straight losses to the Cavaliers in the playoffs, dating back to last season, and Cleveland has made at least 13 three-pointers in each of those games. James recorded his 21st career playoff triple-double with 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds, and even got help from his role players. JR Smith scored 20 points, Kyle Korver added 19, Jeff Green 16, and Tristan Thompson contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds despite being taunted by Toronto fans all night. Kevin Love came into the game as the only other player besides James to average double-figures in scoring this postseason.
James was just 12-of-30 from the field, 1-of-8 from long range, and 1-of-6 from the free throw line in his triple-double performance. Korver is among those teammates James credited with helping him out, and he tied his 2018 playoff high with 19 points while making 5-of-12 3-pointers. Korver’s 3-pointer 37 seconds into overtime gave Cleveland its first lead of the game. Love had 13 rebounds in Game 1 but shot 3-of-13 and is hitting 31.9% of his shots in the playoffs.
DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 22 points in Game 1, and Jonas Valanciunas recorded 21 points and 21 rebounds. Kyle Lowry had 18 points and 10 assists, while Pascal Siakam added 11 points for the top-seeded Raptors. Toronto’s Fred VanVleet missed a potential winning 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left in overtime and the Raptors ended up shooting just 42.9% from the field and 9-of-28 from 3-point range. The Raptors had 14 turnovers while forcing just six and they’ve coughed it up 17 more times than their opponents during this postseason.
Cleveland definitely has Toronto’s number and its beginning to get into the player’s heads, I think. The Raptors really let a golden opportunity slip by on Tuesday, and now have a lot of pressure. Toronto may be the better team, but they’ll have a hard time putting away LeBron and company in Game 2. Take the points.
Pick: Cavaliers +6.5
- Cavaliers are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 Conference Semifinals games.
- Cavaliers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Cavaliers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. NBA Atlantic.
- Cavaliers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games.
- Cavaliers are 7-15 ATS in their last 22 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Cavaliers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Cavaliers are 5-15-2 ATS in their last 22 Thursday games.
- Cavaliers are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Cavaliers are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
- Cavaliers are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Cavaliers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Raptors are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Raptors are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 home games.
- Raptors are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
- Raptors are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Raptors are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Raptors are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games following a ATS loss.
- Raptors are 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Raptors are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 Conference Semifinals games.
- Under is 4-0 in Cavaliers last 4 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 Thursday games.
- Over is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 Conference Semifinals games.
- Over is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Under is 12-4 in Cavaliers last 16 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 8-3 in Cavaliers last 11 vs. NBA Atlantic.
- Over is 5-2 in Cavaliers last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Over is 5-2 in Cavaliers last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 7-1 in Raptors last 8 Conference Semifinals games.
- Under is 4-1 in Raptors last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Under is 4-1 in Raptors last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Over is 4-1 in Raptors last 5 home games.
- Under is 4-1 in Raptors last 5 games following a straight up loss.
- Under is 4-1 in Raptors last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 4-1 in Raptors last 5 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Over is 5-2 in Raptors last 7 Thursday games.
- Over is 5-2 in Raptors last 7 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-2 in Raptors last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 13-6-1 in Raptors last 20 vs. NBA Central.
- Under is 15-7 in Raptors last 22 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Cavaliers are 6-1-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings.
- Cavaliers are 5-1-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings in Toronto.
- Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Toronto.
- Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
- Home team is 3-1-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
- Underdog is 3-1-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
