2. The Head-To-Head Track Record
These two teams have met twice this season. They split the two games, so the winner of Friday night’s game will own the tie-breaker and home-court-advantage if the two teams end up with the same record at the end of the regular season.
The Raptors won the first meeting in Toronto 103-99 back in November.
The Cavaliers were without Kyrie Irving , who obviously makes a big difference.
Toronto was without center Jonas Valanciunas and although he is not a star, like Irving, he makes his presence felt.
Valanciunas is averaging 13 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this season and the Raptors are 27-12 when he plays.
By comparison, the Cavs are 23-7 when Irving plays. So both players make a big difference when they’re on the court.
The second meeting between Cleveland and Toronto, Irving and Valanciunas both played. The game was in Cleveland and the Cavs blew out the Raptors 122-100.
So these two teams are 1-1 against each other this season. Friday’s matchup will be the final time they face one another until a possible playoff series. Whichever team wins Friday will leave the last impression between now and May.
Whether Cavs fans want to hear it or not, if the Raptors win, the national topic of conversation the next couple days will consist of “Are the Raptors a ‘real’ threat to the Cavs in the East?”
It’s already a conversation worth having, but if Toronto wins, there will be more fuel added to the fire.
If the Cavs can pull out a win on the road, especially a convincing win that leaves little doubt, it would be a big statement, similar to how they played in Oklahoma City on Sunday.
Not many people would say the Thunder could take the Cavs in a seven-game series right now after that game. Let’s hope the Cavs can leave that impression after the game in Toronto.
The standings and head-to-head matchups aren’t the only reasons that make this a big game, however.
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