How each Eastern Conference contender can beat the Cleveland Cavaliers

If we accept that the Celtics, Raptors, and Wizards’ chances of actually defeating Cleveland is already relatively small, the more interesting question becomes not the percentage chance that any of them can do it, but if they are to do it, how will it be done? An excerpt:

The biggest thing the Raptors have going for them this year is that they can seamlessly swing between playing big and playing small without losing anything on either end. Masai Ujiri’s midseason deals for Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker ensured that would be the case, and that’s largely why many people felt the Raps had the best trade deadline of any team in the league. (Side note: Can we talk for a quick second about Ujiri getting Ibaka and Tucker AND dumping Jared Sullinger, all for the price of Terrence Ross, a pick in the mid-to-late 20’s, and two seconds? That man is a wizard. There’s no other explanation for how he just keeps winning trades.)

Ibaka starts next to Jonas Valanciunas at the power forward spot, but if the Raptors come up against a small lineup where Jonas can’t hang defensively (like, say, any of the Kevin Love at center lineups that smoked them during last year’s conference finals), they can easily pivot to using Serge at the 5, with some combination of Tucker, DeMarre Carroll, Patrick Patterson, and Cory Joseph next to Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan on the outside. There’s no lineup the Cavs can play that puts the Raptors into a no-win situation, and that’s a big change from last season.

They also have several defenders they can potentially throw at LeBron now, which is huge because Carroll, while game, has not exactly had great success trying to stop the King. Tucker is one of the handful of most annoying (in a good way) wing defenders in basketball, and he will do his damnedest to bother LeBron during the minutes they share the floor. That’s sure to be pesky.

On the other end of the floor, DeRozan has to be able to find similar success as he did during the regular season. Toronto isn’t likely to beat Cleveland without its backcourt stepping up in a big way, and with Lowry still working his way back from his wrist injury, DeRozan seems more likely to handle the lion’s share of possessions. If he can give J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert the business, that will go a long way toward getting the Raptors where they need to go.

Read the full story at The Step Back.