Rest up Cavaliers; you’ve earned it after sweeping Raptors again | Jeff Schudel

The Cavaliers are finally getting a chance to rest.

For the first time since they got on the NBA treadmill at the beginning of training camp in late September, LeBron James and his weary teammates can kick up their feet — or stick them in ice buckets, because that’s what basketball players do after a hard night — and relax before the Eastern conference finals begin on May 13 at the earliest.

The identity of the Cavs’ next opponent hasn’t been determined because the Philadelphia 76ers stayed alive by beating the Boston Celtics, 103-92, earlier on May 7. The Celtics lead their series, 3-1, with Game 5 set for May 9 in Boston. The longer that series goes, the more rest the Cavs will get.

The Cavs, after outlasting the Indiana Pacers in seven hard-fought games in the first round of the playoffs, on May 7 completed their four-game sweep of the Toronto Raptors, 128-93, in a thorough beatdown before another sellout crowd at Quicken Loans Arena.

“I think the Indiana series prepared us for this series,” Coach Tyronn Lue said after the game.”Physicality, the ball pressure, really helped us going forward into this series. We have to continue to keep getting better. We’re finally hitting a good rhythm.”

There was one hiccup in the second quarter when the Raptors chipped away at a 10-point deficit to take a 38-36 lead, but Lue called a timeout, made his point, and then the players made their points, outscoring Toronto, 27-9, the rest of the half for a 63-47 lead at intermission.

Four Cavaliers were in double figures by halftime. J.R. Smith, after not scoring a point in nearly 26 minutes of Game 3, led the onslaught with 15 points. LeBron James had 10, Kevin Love 11 and Kyle Korver 13. And that was just in the first half.

Be honest; did you think the Cavaliers would be in the position they are now when the playoffs began? If talk radio is an accurate barometer, many fans expected a quick exit because they were inconsistent in the regular season.

Listening to the chatter in the media dining area pregame, the majority of reporters still doubt the Cavs can compete with the Warriors should they meet Golden State in the Finals a fourth straight time. Of course the Cavs have to get there first, and so do the Warriors. Then we’ll see what happens.

The Raptors played like a broken, dejected team after the Cavaliers second-quarter run, and it was the Cavaliers that broke them. The Cavs have beaten Toronto in 10 straight playoff games. And for those who like to dump on Lue, the Cavaliers coach is 12-0 in second-round playoff games.

Just to rub it in, the Quicken Loans Arena crew that picks the music played during timeouts selected “God’s Plan” by hip-hip artist Drake during a break with 7:38 remaining and the Cavs in command, 110-82. Drake, a Toronto native, is the Raptors’ appointed global ambassador.

James by himself makes the Cavaliers dangerous. When they play as a team like they did in Game 4, they are lethal. With James leading the way with 11, the Cavaliers dished out 29 assists in their easiest win of the playoffs so far. The Cavs were shooting 63 percent from the floor before Lue started emptying his bench midway through the fourth quarter. James finished with 29 points, Love 23, Kover 16, Smith 15 and George Hill 12 points. This wasn’t pick your poison for the Raptors. It’s pick your execution

Bigger tests await the Cavaliers. But that’s just fine, because they have never played better than they are now.

Reach Schudel at JSchudel@News-Herald.com. On Twitter: @jsproinsider