Live Thread: Cavs @ Raptors, Game 6 (#InTheSix)

For the most part, home court advantage in the NBA doesn’t always translate into an edge in a series, usually due to the disparity in talent between the two combatants. Oddly though, home court seems to have become some sort of odd psychological advantage in this year’s Eastern Conference Finals. On paper, the Cleveland Cavaliers are the superior team to the Toronto Raptors, and in the friendly confines of the Q, that has bourn out with the Cavs winning games by margins of 31, 19 and 38 points. Yet, the Raptors have almost inexplicably turned the tables in the Six (Toronto’s Drake dubbed nickname derived from their two area codes 416 and 647) at the Air Canada Center, winning by 15 in Game 3 and six in Game 4 (not to mention taking both games in the regular season here).

It’s enough to make you wonder how things would play out on a neutral floor. Does each team really get that much of a confidence boost from playing in front of their home fans? Well, we could possibly get closer to an answer to that question tonight in a potential closeout game for the Cavs. If the King and his court can take care of Kyle, DeMar and the Biz in front of the Jurassic Park faithful, they can buy themselves a few extra days of rest for LeBron’s sixth straight trip to The Finals. If not, there will be a Game 7 in Cleveland on Sunday.

Six Things To Watch For:

1) Will we see the “vintage LeBron” Tyronn Lue has asked for going into this game?

2) Which Kevin Love will show up? The one who disappeared in Games 3 & 4, going 5-23… or the one who went 8-10 for 25 points in Game 5?

3) Will Kyrie keep the offense moving? Or will he dribble himself into trouble?

4) Will Jonas Valanciunas make a difference? Or is Toronto better off going with the defense of Bismack Biyombo?

5) Can the Cavs limit Toronto’s back court with their trapping ways? Or will Lowry and DeRozan get loose and rediscover their hot shooting?

6) Can the Cavs take the crowd out of it quickly? Or will the Raptors feed off their energy to force a Game 7?

Game time is at 8:30 EST (5:30 PST), and can be seen on ESPN or heard on WTAM 1100.

Prediction: LeBron has faced a Game 6 (with his team up 3-2) nine times in his playoff career… his record is 8-1 (the loss being in 2006 to the Pistons). The Raptors are 7-2 at home in the playoffs this year. Expect a hard fought game with the Cavs finally prevailing in the end by… well, let’s say six… 106-100, to finally emerge victorious in the Six.

LET’S GO CAVS!

And just for a little bonus motivation… here’s a brand new hype video from Geo! (wonder if he’s 6?)