The Toronto Raptors are on the verge of being swept out of the second round by the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second straight season.
As a result, rumours are suggesting that heads must fall beginning with head coach Dwane Casey.
During his press conference prior to Game 4, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue rushed to the defence of his colleague when asked about the possibility of Casey losing his job.
“That’s absurd, that’s crazy,” Lue told the media. He dove into how Toronto has changed from an isolation-heavy offence to one that ranked top-three this season with far more ball and player movement, finished in the top-five in defensive rating, and topped it all off with the second-best record in the entire league.
Toronto finished with a franchise-best 59-23 record, only bettered by the Houston Rockets this season. As a result, expectations were high entering the post-season, with several reputable NBA analysts picking the Raptors to win the series and odds makers listing them as favourites before the series began.
They now trail 3-0, including two defeats by a combined total of three points. Making the task all the more daunting is the fact that NBA teams are a perfect 129-0 with that series advantage.
Casey has a 263-147 record during the regular season over the past five seasons, but just 21-29 in the playoffs. 11 of those 29 losses have come at the hands of LeBron James and the Cavs, including nine straight.
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