This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images.)
#1 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 113 @ #2 TORONTO RAPTORS 87
EAST Finals – Game 6 – CAVALIERS WIN series, 4-2
As NBA fans, we wanted a Game 7 for this series. Instead, we got the expected finish. Although the series probably took longer than it should have.
And that’s the credit we should give to the Toronto Raptors. Most of us said this would be a sweep or that they get a “pity win.” The Raptors told all of us to be quiet and gave the Cavs a scare despite what you’ll read somewhere else. Yeah, the Cavs got a scare. That’s why Richard Jefferson acted like my dad against Jonas Valanciunas.
The Cavs made sure there wouldn’t be a Game 7 by jumping on the Raptors early. It wasn’t fun to watch because there were so many stoppages of play. Cavaliers were only up six after the first but back-to-back Channing Frye threes started the barrage from outside in the second. They would lead by 14 at halftime.
From there, it was like going against Mike Tyson in boxing before 1990. The Cavs kept landing haymakers on the Raptors. Kyle Lowry tried to lead a rally back but Toronto never got closer than 10 points. The assault continued and the Raptors got buried twenty feet deep. Cleveland is back in the NBA Finals for the second straight year.
What a season the Raptors had, though. Even though they were the second seed, they weren’t trusted to go far because of their playoff history and never getting past the first round since 2001. They showed resiliency in this run, winning a couple of Game 7s on the way to the conference finals. They ran into this buzzsaw that was the Cavaliers but nobody expected them to tie the series at two games. Yeah, the Cavs won the next two with blowouts but one bad ankle turn to LeBron James could’ve easily shifted the series. I’m not wishing injuries upon anybody because that would make me a terrible human being but these things DO happen. The Cavs definitely know about health issues; remember what happened in last year’s Finals?
But the Cavs, who looked like a bunch of individuals that didn’t want to be in the same room together, stormed through the playoffs and played some great basketball. If the opponents had no rim protection, they attacked inside. If the paint was clogged, they were able to shoot the lights out from three. Suddenly, the acquisitions of Channing Frye, Kevin Love, and J.R. Smith looked awesome in these playoffs.
LeBron and James Jones are going to their sixth straight NBA Finals, which hasn’t been done since the 60s. Discrediting them would be discrediting the entire history of this league. You can only play who’s in front of you. And if it was easy to make the Finals in the East, how come Derrick Rose and Paul George haven’t been there yet? We can play the “what if” card all we want but that also means we can make the most ridiculous scenarios. What if Magic Johnson stayed 25 forever? Would the Lakers make 32 straight NBA Finals?
Cleveland can bring home their first major sports title in more than 50 years. But this Finals ain’t going to be a cakewalk for anybody.
Thunder? Warriors? It’s your move.
BEHIND THE LINES
LeBron James (CLE): 33 pts, 11 rebs, 6 assts, 3 blks.
Kyrie Irving (CLE): 30 pts, 8 assts, 3 stls.
Kevin Love (CLE): 20 pts, 12 rebs.
Kyle Lowry (TOR): 35 pts.
DeMar DeRozan (TOR): 20 pts.
WATCH THIS PLAY
Watch LeBron throw down the powerful alley-oop jam.
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
Congrats, Cleveland Cavaliers.
Follow Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass for all tweets about the NBA and terrible pop music. Also, check out his podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental.
us on FaceBook! Thank you!