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Toronto Raptors: Let’s review all 3 years of LeBron James in LeBronto era

By Alexandro Fidanza

BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during Game Seven of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on May 27, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during Game Seven of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on May 27, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James and Toronto Raptors OG Anunoby – (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

LeBron sweeps Toronto Raptors regardless of signs of looking mortal

The third and final LeBronto matchup was the one where most favored Toronto. After LeBron and the Cavs barely won a 7 game series against the Indiana Pacers with what was the weakest LeBron team since his return to Cleveland. It seemed as if this was the Raptors’ chance to finally beat him.

LeBron statline in 2018 vs Raptors – 34 PTS/8.3 REB/11.3 AST/1.8 STL/1 BLK

Against a less athletic LeBron — obviously still athletic but in LeBron standards less — the Toronto Raptors still couldn’t do it. This was the introduction of his post-up game as well as being the team’s floor general. The game was slowed down a lot more, LeBron played at his own tempo and it seemed like it was the most calculated LeBron.

Despite shooting awfully from three against Toronto at 18 percent, he shot the long mid-range at a staggering rate of 59 percent. His fadeaway off a post up was deadly in this series and couldn’t be stopped.

With Kyrie gone, that also meant that LeBron brought the ball up the floor more than usual and we already know just how great his playmaking his. Averaging 11 assists, LeBron made the most of his team by finding open shooters, finding guys on cuts, and lobbing to Tristan Thompson. Nothing new but just things we saw more often since there was no other ball handler on the team.

Toronto Raptors review

This was the most disappointing Toronto Raptors performance of all three series. LeBron was amazing but he was nowhere near the level he was in 2017. And with a stronger team and the Cavs functioning with what was a last-minute roster — many trades were made on trade deadline day. It is probably the most embarrassing Raptors defeat of all three series.

The Raptors, who were the first seed, failed to even take a game when the fourth-seeded Pacers brought it to 7. As bad a series as it was, it may be something Raptors fans should be grateful for what followed. Casey got axed, DeRozan got traded and we got introduced to a new era of Toronto Raptors basketball. 

dark. Next. Toronto Raptors: 5 things we’ll remember the most from Marc Gasol

And well, LeBron James went to the Western Conference. Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James on the championship.

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