Raptors vs. Cavaliers: The game everybody wants, but no one is watching

Somehow there are still two weeks of pre-season basketball activities to get through. Can you believe it? This feels particularly onerous, egregious and, let's just say it, downright offensive. I think we can all agree, it would be much better if the NBA was happening for real right now and the games counted. Just my two cents.

The Raptors are in Cleveland tonight to take on the defending champion Cavaliers (of 3-1 comeback fame). They have a player named LeBron James, who you may be familiar with. At some different time, during the regular season for example, this contest would feel significant. The Raptors, as I'm sure you know, went toe-to-toe with the Cavaliers last post-season in the Eastern Conference Finals. Toronto's team won two of those games and while they ultimately lost the war, quite literally, it definitely felt at the time like they'd won a battle or two in a grander, more figurative sense. The Raptors proved they belonged.

In any case, this is still one of those pesky pre-season games that doesn't really matter. It's doubtful James, and his running mates Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving will even play much, or at all. They do sometimes in the pre-season, and other times they do not. The Raptors meanwhile, will trot out most of their lineup except the mighty, ascendant Terrence Ross:

No TRoss in Cleveland tonight. He stayed behind in Toronto with a sore knee.

— Mike Ganter (@Mike_Ganter) October 13, 2016

I'm sure it's fine.

Read up on the game with Kevin Nimmock's preview here. And then strap in for... something.