Over the last decade, LeBron James-led teams, such as the 2011-2014 Miami Heat and the 2015-2017 Cleveland Cavaliers, have dominated the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Last summer, though, the Cavs traded guard Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics and after a 16-game winning streak, the Celtics were the favorite to win the Eastern Conference, standing at No. 1 in the East.
However, as the 2017-2018 season has worn on, the Toronto Raptors now find themselves at No. 1 in the Eastern Conference after a record of 8-2 in their last 10 games. One of these games includes a 20-point win over the No. 1 defense in the league, the Boston Celtics. The Raptors are currently on a five-game winning streak and are showing no signs of slowing down.
One important note is that the Cavaliers and the Celtics have both made huge roster changes this season while the Raptors have kept their main roster intact.
To this day, the Cavaliers and the Celtics are the two favorites to win the East and move on to The Finals. Yet, the Raptors, led by All-Star starter DeMar DeRozan, are red-hot and making a case for themselves in this late push to finish the season as the No. 1 seed.
As we all know, though, performance in the regular season does not always transfer to the playoffs. Last season, the Boston Celtics finished the regular season No. 1 in the East, but were blown out of the water by the James-led Cavaliers. James has the tendency of really “turning it on” in the playoffs and leading his team to The Finals.
Will the Toronto Raptors be able to increase their offensive and defensive intensity to hold off the Celtics and the Cavs? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, the Raptors are not a team to be taken lightly.
