The Eastern Conference’s first round of the playoffs went largely as expected with the four better-seeded teams all advancing. The No. 1 Toronto Raptors face old nemesis LeBron James and the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night in Game 1 of this NBA matchup.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

Raptors fans, did you ever really think you wouldn’t have to go through LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in these playoffs? You didn’t honestly believe that James was going to let his team lose to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern quarterfinals did you? A LeBron-led team has yet to lose a first-round series in his brilliant career.

Of course, the Cavaliers have eliminated the Raptors from the playoffs in each of the past two years, sweeping Toronto in the 2017 East semifinals and knocking out the Raptors in the 2016 East Finals in six games. Toronto is -227 on the Sports Interaction series line this time around and Cleveland +158. The favoured exact result is Raptors in both five and seven games at +300.

Should the Raptors eliminate the Cavs, there’s a chance they won’t have to worry about LeBron any longer in the East. Many believe if Cleveland doesn’t at least make the NBA Finals that James will leave in free agency this summer for either the Houston Rockets or Los Angeles Lakers out West. He also reportedly would consider the Philadelphia 76ers in addition to staying put.

Early betting action on Game 1 is nearly 50-50 on the spread but heavily on the over 215.5-point total. Cleveland is given a total of 104.5 points and Toronto 111.0. The favoured winning margin is Raptors by 3-6 points at +450.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs were pushed to seven games by the fifth-seeded Pacers. James had 45 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals in Sunday’s 105-101 Game 7 home win. For the series, he averaged 34.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists. When the Cavs lost to Indiana, it was largely because James got little help from his supporting cast. Kevin Love, for example, clearly isn’t 100 per cent healthy and averaged just 11.4 points in the series. Tristan Thompson had barely been playing vs. the Pacers but was a surprise starter in Game 7 and broke out with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Cleveland won two of the three regular-season matchups with the Raptors but lost the lone game in Toronto. James averaged 29.3 points, 8.0 assists and 6.7 rebounds. Rookie OG Anunoby and big man Pascal Siakam guarded LeBron more than anyone else.

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors should be much better rested as they finished off the Wizards on Friday in Game 6, 102-92 – the first road team to win in the series. The Bench Mob was the story of that game with 34 points and every member of the bench with a positive plus/minus rating. Fred VanVleet had played just three minutes in the series (Game 2) due to a shoulder injury but got in 19 on Friday and was plus-12. Cleveland is a much deeper team than Washington was.

Toronto remains the only club in the NBA that has not lost three consecutive games at any point this season. During the regular season, DeMar DeRozan averaged 17.7 points and 6.7 assists vs. the Cavaliers and Kyle Lowry 14.5 points and 7.3 assists in two games. Toronto looks to have a decided edge in the backcourt, which wasn’t the case vs. the Wizards.

Injuries

Cleveland

JR Smith (SG)

Ques Mon Illness - 06 / 05 / 18

George Hill (PG)

Prob Tues Back - 01 / 05 / 18

Rodney Hood (SG)

Prob Wed Personal - 18 / 04 / 18

Kyle Korver (SG)

Prob Wed Illness - 16 / 04 / 18

Tristan Thompson (C)

Prob Sun Personal - 13 / 04 / 18

Jose Calderon (PG)

Prob Mon Hamstring - 05 / 04 / 18

Jeff Green (SF)

Prob Tues Illness - 23 / 03 / 18

Larry Nance Jr. (PF)

Ques Fri Hamstring - 14 / 03 / 18

Cedi Osman (SF)

Prob Wed Hip - 10 / 03 / 18

LeBron James (SF)

Prob Tues Leg - 12 / 02 / 18

Toronto

Fred VanVleet (PG)

Prob Thurs Shoulder - 01 / 05 / 18

OG Anunoby (SF)

Prob Wed Ankle - 23 / 04 / 18

Pascal Siakam (PF)

Prob Sun Mouth - 21 / 04 / 18

Serge Ibaka (PF)

Prob Sat Mouth - 12 / 04 / 18

Norman Powell (SF)

Ques Mon Knee - 09 / 04 / 18

Lucas Nogueira (C)

Ques Sat Hamstring - 08 / 04 / 18

Jonas Valanciunas (C)

Out Sun Rest - 08 / 04 / 18

CJ Miles (SF)

Prob Sun Illness - 21 / 03 / 18

Delon Wright (PG)

Doub Sun Toe - 06 / 03 / 18

Nigel Hayes (SF)

Ques Fri Personal - 06 / 03 / 18

Injuries

Cleveland

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
JR Smith (SG)	Ques Mon	Illness - 06 / 05 / 18	7-6	6-7	+ -
Smith is ailing from an illness and it is unknown if he will play in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Raptors.
George Hill (PG)	Prob Tues	Back - 01 / 05 / 18	8-7	8-7	+ -
Hill is nursing back soreness but is expected to suit up for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Raptors.
Rodney Hood (SG)	Prob Wed	Personal - 18 / 04 / 18	9-12	9-12	+ -
Hood is likely to suit up against the Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round despite a personal matter.
Kyle Korver (SG)	Prob Wed	Illness - 16 / 04 / 18	9-12	9-12	+ -
Korver is dealing with an illness but is expected to play against the Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Tristan Thompson (C)	Prob Sun	Personal - 13 / 04 / 18	9-13	9-13	+ -
Thompson is away from the team due to the birth of his child but is expected to play against the Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Jose Calderon (PG)	Prob Mon	Hamstring - 05 / 04 / 18	12-14	12-14	+ -
Calderon has sat out the last two games due to a sore left hamstring but is expected to be available for Monday's contest against the Knicks.
Jeff Green (SF)	Prob Tues	Illness - 23 / 03 / 18	18-15	14-19	+ -
Green sat out the last game with whooping cough but is likely to play Tuesday against the Heat.
Larry Nance Jr. (PF)	Ques Fri	Hamstring - 14 / 03 / 18	20-18	18-20	+ -
Nance Jr. has been held out of the previous four games with tightness in his right hamstring and it is unclear if he will return for Friday's matchup against the Suns.
Cedi Osman (SF)	Prob Wed	Hip - 10 / 03 / 18	21-19	18-22	+ -
Osman has been sidelined with a left hip strain but is likely to return against the Hornets on Wednesday.
LeBron James (SF)	Prob Tues	Leg - 12 / 02 / 18	25-24	22-27	+ -
James suffered a leg injury in the previous game but is expected to play Tuesday against the Thunder.

Toronto

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Fred VanVleet (PG)	Prob Thurs	Shoulder - 01 / 05 / 18	2-2	2-2	+ -
VanVleet is dealing with a shoulder injury but is expected to be available for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cavaliers.
OG Anunoby (SF)	Prob Wed	Ankle - 23 / 04 / 18	3-3	2-4	+ -
Anunoby suffered an ankle injury but is likely to be available for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first round against the Wizards.
Pascal Siakam (PF)	Prob Sun	Mouth - 21 / 04 / 18	3-4	3-4	+ -
Siakam will likely be available for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first round against the Wizards despite requiring stitches for a lacerated lip.
Serge Ibaka (PF)	Prob Sat	Mouth - 12 / 04 / 18	5-5	6-4	+ -
Ibaka is expected to play against the Wizards in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round despite taking a hit to his mouth in a previous game.
Norman Powell (SF)	Ques Mon	Knee - 09 / 04 / 18	6-5	7-5	+ -
Powell suffered a knee injury in the previous game and it is unclear if he will play Monday against the Pistons.
Lucas Nogueira (C)	Ques Sat	Hamstring - 08 / 04 / 18	7-5	7-6	+ -
Nogueira is dealing with left hamstring tightness and it is uncertain if he will play against the Wizards in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Jonas Valanciunas (C)	Out Sun	Rest - 08 / 04 / 18	7-5	7-6	+ -
Valanciunas will receive a day of rest and will not participate in Sunday's game against the Magic.
CJ Miles (SF)	Prob Sun	Illness - 21 / 03 / 18	8-12	11-10	+ -
Miles has missed the last two games due to a bout of gastroenteritis but is expected to be available against the Clippers on Sunday.
Delon Wright (PG)	Doub Sun	Toe - 06 / 03 / 18	13-16	15-15	+ -
Wright missed the last game due to a sprained right big toe and is not likely to play on Sunday against the Knicks.
Nigel Hayes (SF)	Ques Fri	Personal - 06 / 03 / 18	13-16	15-15	+ -
Hayes is dealing with visa issues and it is uncertain if he will be available for Friday's tilt against the Rockets.

Cavaliers vs. Raptors Prediction