This was supposed to be the year. The year the Raptors finally broke the glass ceiling and solved all their problems. It as meant to be the year that they dethroned the King and his pesky supporting cast of Cavaliers. Instead, it has become a finale of misery.
According to the Toronto Star, the Raptors revamped its offense, brought in new players, and won 59 regular season games to snag the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Yet, the franchise has found itself on familiar ground. Now at the bottom of a 3-0 hole, the Raptors are awash in a tide of woe.
Each of the three games that the Raptors have played against the Cavaliers has merely piled on the dirt saddling the woeful Raptors. Other than LeBron James, what has gone wrong?
The Pacers
The Indiana Pacers deserve much of the blame. To Indiana's credit, they threw everything they had at #LeBron James. Weakened by inexperienced players, the King had to put in superhuman performances to carry a band of yahoos through each game.
There was a process that was occurring below the surface. As the Pacers mounted increasing pressure on LeBron's supporting cast, the rag-tag group was put through a meat grinder. To add to the pressure, they were constantly grilled in the locker room by players with extensive resumes.
What happened next was something that nobody expected.
What the Pacers failed to realize, was the team they were pounding was turning into a behemoth. A volcano was being filled, ready to erupt when the pressure was high enough. When the series ended, the Pacers had wrapped a present of battle-hardened survivors instead of imposters.
LeBron would later say of his newly formidable sidekicks, "..my teammates were unbelievable."
Toronto seemed to forget to unwrap the gift, and now it might be too late. The #Cleveland Cavaliers have turned into a team that will go head to head with anything their future opponents can throw at them.
Teammates have finally appeared
Kevin Love was supposed to be Cleveland's number two, the back-up to LeBron. Hobbled by injury after injury, he became a shell of his former self. Then suddenly, the substitute that filled in for the former All-Star was finally fired. According to the Plain Dealer, Kevin Love torched the Raptors with 21 points in the last game.
Love's other teammates have piled on into the massacre. Kyle Korver continues to torture Toronto with precision three-point shooting, J.R. Smith is putting the Raptors' star players out of commission, and Tristen Thompson is blocking shots at the rim. Every game, the King's supporting case are turning into a steamroller.
In a game where momentum is often everything, Toronto's failure to fully appreciate the Christmas gift handed to them may be the key that leads to their undoing.
Belief, senior leadership, and mentality
Back in March, Cleveland tore up their roster in desperation. Out went veteran players, replaced by young talent. Then just before the playoffs, the Cavs made a move that left many scratching their heads. They hired Kendrick Perkins, an NBA veteran long past his prime and on the verge of retirement.
His leadership and that provided courtesy of LeBron James, enabled this former band of nothing to become the juggernaut they are now. The mentality of superiority they tried to instill took time, but eventually, the Cavaliers seemed to remember that they made it to the NBA Finals in the previous three years.
Now, the Cavaliers have Toronto hanging by a thread.
To add to the bad news surrounding future opponents is the prospect of a Toronto sweep. If the Cavs complete the sweep, and the 76ers suddenly look like themselves again, Cleveland will have the advantage of a relaxation period.
The Boston Celtics, their likely Eastern Finals rival, better watch out. Cleveland and the King are charging like a steam locomotive, and only the Warriors might be able to stop them.
