Toronto Raptors fans don’t want to remember the infamous “LeBronto” days.
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers eliminated the Raptors from the playoffs three straight times between 2016 and 2018, earning the city of Toronto the nickname.
The Raptors gave the Cavaliers their best punch in 2016 during the Eastern Conference Finals bringing the series to six games. However, the Cavaliers then swept the Raptors in 2017 and 2018.
Former Cavaliers big man Larry Nance Jr. recently made an appearance on The Hoop Collective podcast. He talked about the Cavaliers reaction to learning they would play Toronto in the second-round of the 2018 playoffs:
“They had no shot. None. From the second it was Cavs-Raptors, they had no shot. And it’s not like … they were a really good team. But the whole ‘LeBronto’ thing was real. The second it was scheduled, it was like a party in our locker room, like, ‘Hoo! We gonna get a little break before the Eastern Conference Finals! This is awesome!”
That sentiment proved to be true. After the Cavaliers won a tight overtime matchup against the Raptors in Game 1 , they blew out Toronto in Game 2, beat them in a close Game 3 and then blew them out in Game 4.
Later that summer the Raptors made a significant change. They traded DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs in a deal that brought Kawhi Leonard to town.
The trade worked out perfectly for Toronto as they went on to win the 2019 NBA championship.
If the Raptors never got swept in 2018, perhaps they would have never made the trade for Leonard.
In the end, things worked out well for Toronto.
City Edition Jerseys Leaked
An apparent jersey leak was shared on social media, which revealed the Toronto Raptors city edition jersey featuring a Vince Carter-inspired logo with the number 15.
Have you subscribed to the Raptors Nation YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
