NBA Trade Deadline 2018: Winners and losers

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TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 6: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics has a few words to say to DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Toronto Raptors in an NBA game at the Air Canada Centre on February 6, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Raptors defeated Celtics 111-91. NOTE TO USER: user expressly acknowledges and agrees by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Licence Agreement. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

Winner: Toronto and Boston

Even though neither of these teams made a trade in the lead up to the deadline, their inactivity helped them. The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the headlines and Twitter timelines Thursday afternoon, but they have to once again mesh a group of new players into a team in a short matter of time. The first time that happened this year things got off to a rocky start for the defending Eastern Conference champions.

Meanwhile, the Celtics have a seven-game edge and the Raptors have a six-game lead in the standings over the Cavaliers. As their assortment of pieces figure out how to play alongside LeBron James — which has seemingly been harder than anyone could have predicted — both teams can continue to distance themselves and lock down the top two seeds AND home court advantage over Cleveland should either team face them in the conference finals.

The Raptors laid a 133-99 beating on Cleveland in their lone matchup. Boston has faced the Cavaliers twice, barely losing on opening night after seeing Gordon Hayward go down minutes into the season and then posting their own lopsided win, 102-88, in the second game.

These are also the two teams to meet the Cavaliers in the previous two Eastern Conference Finals (Toronto in 2016 and Boston in 2017). Neither team was able to put up much of a fight as James and the rest of Cleveland found a way to flip the switch in their prior playoff tilts. However, it is unlikely that the Cavaliers can find that same switch this year as outside of a month stretch from November to December where they ran off 14 wins in 16 games this team hasn’t looked anything like the previous three Cleveland teams that made trips to the NBA Finals.

With Koby Altman pounding the reset button multiple times at the deadline the East looks as open as it has been at any time during LeBron’s seven consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. Even though they didn’t make trades, there’s a chance that the buyout market could help them fortify their rosters, Boston already added Greg Monroe.

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