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With about half the NBA season completed, there is a game between two elite opponents in the Eastern Conference. These teams are the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors. The Cavaliers entered the season with the greatest chance to dethrone the Golden State Warriors as the franchise hopes to win its second championship in three seasons. However, the Cavaliers have underachieved this season and are currently third in the Eastern Conference standings. Their opponents in this contest, the Toronto Raptors, have been overachieving so far this season and are currently second in the Eastern Conference standings. Since it is likely that these teams will play against each other in the playoffs, expect this game to be extremely competitive.
Cleveland’s success is due to its best player LeBron James. This season, James is averaging 27.2 points per game on an absurd shooting percentage of 55.8% from the floor. However, James has contributed in a variety of ways besides scoring. James is also averaging nine rebounds per game along with over eight assists per game. Although he is in his 15th NBA season, James has showed no signs of slowing down. James is a contender to win the MVP award this season and now has a chance to cement his case in a nationally televised game. Expect James to have a huge game if the Cavaliers plan on winning this contest.
Toronto’s success is due to its extremely talented backcourt. Guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry have been the leaders of this year’s team and also have boasted impressive stats thus far in the regular season. DeRozan is currently averaging 25.3 points per game along with 4.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Lowry is averaging 16.2 points per game along with 6.1 rebounds per game. Both of them know what it takes to win these important conference games at home. Expect DeRozan and Lowry to play well on Thursday.
As for my prediction, I have to side with the Cavaliers. Since Cleveland is in the midst of a slump, I expect the Cavaliers to take this game extremely seriously. If the Cavaliers plan on making it back to the NBA Finals, they will need to win these tough road games. Kyle Lowry is also dealing with a back injury and is less than 100% healthy which should limit Toronto’s offensive production in this contest. I expect that Cavaliers to win this game by five points or so.
Cavaliers vs. Raptors: Game Time, TV Channel & Viewing Details
Event: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors
Date: Thursday, January 11, 2018
Start Time: 8:00 P.M. EST
Location: Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON
Broadcast: TNT
How to Watch Cavaliers vs. Raptors On Your Tablet Or Mobile Device
You can live stream the game on the Watch TNT app.
You can download the Watch TNT app on Google Play, Amazon, iTunes, and the Windows Store. The Fox Sports Go app is also available on the following devices: Apple TV, Roku, Android TV and Fire TV.
How To Live Stream Cavaliers vs. Raptors Online Without Cable Subscription
You can also live stream the game through Sling TV free trial. Just click on the Sling website and click “Watch Now 7 Days Free” for the free trial. Choose the Sling Orange package, which costs $20 per month and comes with TNT, along with many other sports channels.
