5 things we learned from the Cavaliers erasing the Raptors

CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 05: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers hits the game winning shot over the outstretched hand of OG Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors to win Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals 105-103 during the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena on May 5, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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TORONTO, CANADA – MAY 3: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Toronto Raptors during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2018 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) /

1. LeBron James is still the King

Plenty of people picked the Raptors to win this series. They answered every call you could ask them to answer throughout the season and in the first round. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers struggled all season and into their first round series against the Pacers. If they were ever going to knock off James, this was going to be the year.

He missed a game-winner in Game 1, just to extend the torture for five more minutes. He was so bored in Game 2 that he spent the entire game practicing fadeaway shots. He missed free throws down the stretch in Game 3, allowed Toronto to tie it, and then ripped their hearts out with a running floater off the glass. He did whatever he wanted to do in Game 4. Because Toronto is in Canada. And those who live in Canada are too nice to stop Kings.

On the bright side, he didn’t throw an alley-oop off the glass to himself or spin the ball on his finger before draining a shot. However, he did get an entire city renamed after him. Call it a wash.

Next: Raptors’ Dwane Casey reportedly on hot seat

No one doubted LeBron coming into the series. The consensus was LeBron would be good enough, but the team around him simply couldn’t hang with a well-rounded team like Toronto. This series proved that it may not matter who you put around LeBron. When it’s Cleveland vs. Toronto. There’s only one possible outcome.

The King stays The King.

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