Cavaliers vs. Raptors Game 2: Early Start Time, Prediction, TV Channel For 2018 Playoffs

At 6 p.m. EDT Thursday night inside of Air Canada Centre, the Toronto Raptors’ season will be on the line. No, it’s not an elimination game, and a loss would only give the Raptors a 2-0 series deficit to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but it’d be hard to define Game 2 as anything less than a “must-win.”

The East’s No.1 seed already surrendered home-court advantage with an inexplicable Game 1 loss, blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and losing when they never trailed once in regulation. Another loss to the Cavs, before even one game has been played in Cleveland, would almost certainly be too much for Toronto to rebound from.

The Raptors were the best team in the conference all season long. Toronto had a much more successful season than the Cavs, winning fewer games than only the Houston Rockets. They defeated the Washington Wizards in six games in the first round and entered the second round as 1/2 favorites over Cleveland.

But the Raptors did what they always seem to do against the Cavs in big games, and they failed to close out the victory. It marked three straight losses for Toronto against Cleveland, dating back to the regular season. The Raptors have now lost four straight home playoff games to the Cavaliers.

LeBron James might’ve had his worst game of the playoffs in Game 1, needing 30 shots to score 26 points. James did manage to put up a triple-double, and he could be much better in Game 2.

The same could be said for Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Neither one of Toronto’s star guards had much of an impact in the second half of Game 1. If the Raptors take another early lead, it will be difficult for the Cavs to make a second straight comeback.

Maybe the Raptors won’t win the series, but this is a better team than the last two Toronto teams that Cleveland has ousted from the playoffs. Cleveland is now favored to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, though Toronto is favored to come out on top in Game 2. Thursday’s betting line is 6.5 points, according to OddsShark, and the over/under is 212.5.

ESPN will have the TV coverage, and a live stream will be available online with WatchESPN.

Prediction: Toronto over Cleveland, 105-95

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