5 reasons the Raptors can beat the Cavaliers

The Toronto Raptors look like enormous underdogs against the Cleveland Cavaliers but there is more to this matchup than meets the eye.

The Raptors needed to win two Game 7’s just to make the Conference Finals. Their offense has sputtered, their stars have struggled, and their starting center is sidelined with an injury for at least the first two games of this series. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers are pouring in three-pointers at a historic rate and have yet to lose in these playoffs.

Given the recent trends for each team, Toronto is justifiably a huge underdog. But the Raptors won two of three games from the Cavaliers during the regular season and play a similar offensive style. Toronto hasn’t played their best basketball yet in these playoffs. Kyle Lowry appears to have found himself, Bismack Biyombo is breaking out, and Dwane Casey’s rotations have gotten tighter and more strategic. If Toronto were to find a rhythm and finally shake off some of these postseason kinks, there is every reason to think they could give Cleveland a stiff challenge.

Finding that rhythm and rediscovering their regular season magic against Cleveland’s dominance is no easy feat. Still, the Raptors are up for the challenge. Here are a few ways that could pull off the improbable.

Next: 5. The pressure is solely on LeBron James and Cleveland