Cleveland Cavaliers vs Toronto Raptors
October 29, 2022 7:40 PM ET
The Line: Cleveland Cavaliers +3.0 / Toronto Raptors -3.0
Last season, the Cavaliers performed better than expected. By adding guard Donovan Mitchell to their roster this offseason, they doubled down on quickening their winning process. Although I’m not a massive admirer of his style of play, there’s no denying his potential. He and fellow guard Darius Garland perform best with the ball in their hands, so I’m curious how they will work together. Although this club features one of the league’s finest lineups, their depth is not yet there; therefore, I anticipate there may occasionally be dramatic swings in their play throughout games.
Toronto had a strong season the previous year. They seldom had their best lineup on the court at once for very long, but by pure force of will, they managed to claim the fifth position in the Eastern Conference. Scottie Barnes excelled in his debut year and demonstrated the gritty, adaptable style of play that the Raptors highly respect. Although they added a seasoned wing shooter with championship experience in the shape of Otto Porter, this squad is essentially the same as the previous season.
To begin the season, Toronto is a slight favorite at home. That makes sense given these teams’ identical outlooks heading into the season: both are anticipated to make the playoffs but are unlikely to win the Eastern Conference. I admire the Raptors’ consistency, however it’s worth noting that they were 1-3 versus the Cavaliers last season. Both teams are in fantastic shape to begin the season, and I expect this game to have more of a midseason feel to it. With Toronto coming in late, it should be a touch sharper than typical openers.