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The common belief is that the Cleveland Cavaliers should have no problems dismissing the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals. They haven't lost a game yet this postseason, and it's tough to imagine Game 1 being the time a game is finally lost.
NBA Playoff Odds at BookMaker.eu
Toronto Raptors +10.5
Cleveland Cavaliers -10.5
Over/Under 202.5
REGULAR SEASON MEETINGS
Dwane Casey and his crew should take some solace from the fact that the Raptors did beat the Cavaliers in two of the three regular season meetings.
Live bettors will note though, that in the November meeting, the Cavaliers were still without Kyrie Irving while in the second victory in February, the Raps had to fight back from down nine with under five minutes to play to snare the upset.
The one meeting in Cleveland featured the Cavs trouncing Toronto 122-100.
KEY MATCHUP
The Cavaliers are shooting 46.2 percent from beyond the arc this postseason, an absolutely absurd number which may or may not really be sustainable. The looks are just so good for the most part, especially when they're coming either directly off of LeBron James passes or off the pass which LeBron made on a drive or in the middle of the defense.
Toronto has been good defending the perimeter in these playoffs at 34.7 percent, but we have to consider the source here. Miami ranked No. 27 in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage in the regular season. Indiana was only No. 14.
The big problem with Cleveland last year in the playoffs was that no one was able to help out James. With Kyrie Irving leading the team in scoring in the postseason and seemingly everyone else on the roster lined up to shoot threes when James isn't the one putting the ball in the hoop, live bettors will need to keep close tabs on whether the Raptors can defend the three-point arc or not in Game 1.
KEY STATS & TRENDS
These two teams have been tops in the East in points off of turnovers and second chance points in these playoffs.
Toronto is averaging 16.6 points off of turnovers and 14.6 second chance points. Cleveland is good for 18.0 points per game and 13.6 second chance points. Whichever team is leading in these two categories will probably be the one which excels for live betting purposes.
The big problem which Toronto will face in this game is with its two stars. DeMar DeRozan did shoot the ball much better against Miami than he did against Indiana, but he's still at just 35.5 percent for the postseason. Kyle Lowry isn't much better at 36.6 percent.
These two men are going to be on the court a ton, and at 38.6 points per game between them, they're good for well over a third of Toronto's scoring in the playoffs. Still, if they aren't more efficient than that, they're asking to get murdered by a team which runs up and down the floor.
Three or four missed shots in a row by DeRozan and Lowry, particular jump shots, can ultimately lead to a quick 10-0 Cleveland run.
NBA Odds at BookMaker.eu
Need to fund your account before the big game but don't have access to your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don't miss out on getting paid because you couldn't bet. Click here, and deposit at BookMaker now! Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Toronto Raptors and the Cleveland Cavaliers will come off the board at 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at Quicken Loans Arena. Catch the action live nationally on ESPN.
