Gameday Notebook: ‘We the Other’ adds fuel to Raptors’ fire before Game 1

Tim and Sid break down what the Raptors advancing to the Conference Finals means for the franchise and preview the Dino's chances against LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals tips off tonight with the no.2 seeded Toronto Raptors in Cleveland to face LeBron James and the first-place Cavaliers. Here’s what the Raptors are talking about on the morning of the big game:

“WE THE OTHER”

First there was “We the North”. Then, of course, “Biyombo is my Father.” Well now there’s a new slogan/rallying cry in town.

You may have caught wind of a poll CBS Sports posted to their site earlier today:

Craig Battle on Twitter

‘Other’? Really? There’s only one other option! Whether this was a harmless oversight or a malicious act of trolling on the part of CBS, much has been made about Toronto’s underdog status heading into their series vs. Cleveland. On Monday, coach Dwane Casey said his team has thrived when being overlooked, even saying that “nobody expected us to be here.” It’s true that the undefeated Cavs are heavy favourites to advance, and in order to get even more hyped for the most important stretch of basketball in franchise history, the Raptors players aren’t hesitating to use this as further motivation.

At shootaround at the Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday morning, Raptors’ stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry tee’d up tonight’s game and touched on ‘We the Other’:


Update: ‘Raptors’ now included, Toronto fans promptly turn tables on CBS:

Dan Galea on Twitter

CARROLL READY FOR HIS ASSIGNMENT

One of the more intriguing matchups to follow in this series will take place between DeMarre Carroll and LeBron James. Carroll has a history with James, having shadowed him throughout the 2015 Conference Finals, when Carroll was a member of the Atlanta Hawks. At the time, the now-Raptors forward was essentially running around on one leg while playing through a knee injury that would eventually require surgery. And while Carroll is still banged up— he suffered a wrist injury vs. Miami and played through that, too— at Tuesday’s morning shootaround he said his health was night and day compared to where it was at this time last year.

One player alone— or even all five— can’t stop James, but a tenacious and active Carroll should at least help make the King’s life more difficult during the series. Here’s what Carroll had to say about his matchup with LeBron:


Game 1 tips-off at 8:30 PM ET on Sportsnet.

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