Capsule and prediction for the Eastern Conference semifinal series between Cleveland and Toronto that begins Monday:
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No. 2 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (51-31, 4-0) vs. No. 3 TORONTO RAPTORS (51-31, 4-2)
Season series: Cavaliers, 3-1.
Story line: Rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference finals, won by Cleveland in six games. The Cavaliers then beat the Raptors three more times in the first six weeks of this season before Toronto won on the final night with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love all sitting out.
Key matchup: James vs. Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker. Toronto acquired the defensive-minded forwards during the regular season but they didn’t have much success stopping Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo in the first round. Antetokounmpo is good. James, who averaged a spectacular 32.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 9.0 assists in a first-round sweep of Indiana, is better.
Prediction: Cavaliers in 7.-
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Compiled by AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney
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More AP NBA: apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
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