CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I'm just so glad the Cleveland Cavaliers are finally going to play basketball again.

It seems as if they have been waiting for the next round since Bingo Smith retired.

OK, it's not that long. But the Cavs last game was May 9, when they completed their sweep of Atlanta in the second round of the playoffs. They'll open the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday -- May 17 -- against the Toronto Raptors at Quicken Loans Arena.

This is not going to pretend Toronto has the same elite talent as the Cavaliers.

But the Cavs had better be more than rested. They better be ready for the best backcourt in the NBA. Point guard Kyle Lowry is a better player than anyone on the Atlanta Hawks -- or the Detroit Pistons, who were swept by the Cavs in the first round.

The same with shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, Lowry's partner in the Toronto backcourt.

I know, those two guys have shot a combined 36 percent in Toronto's 14 postseason games.

But in the last three games, Lowry averaged 32 points, DeRozan averaged 28 points.

I don't worry that Toronto took 2-of-3 from the Cavs in the season. This is another ballgame. So far, the Cavs have been in a much different -- and more determined -- state of mind in the postseason.

But when it comes to matchups, Toronto can present some real problems for the Cavs.

Lowry is relentless at driving to the rim, and a fearless gunner from long range. He will challenge Kyrie Irving and anyone else the Cavs play at point guard -- probably Matthew Dellavedova.

DeRozan is 6-foot-7, 220-pound scoring machine. He can pile up points on drives and medium-range shots. He loves drawing fouls.

J.R. Smith did a superb job making Atlanta shooting guard Kyle Korver disappear. Korver lives on the 3-point line. DeRozan is stronger, tougher and has far more variety in his game. Smith and Iman Shumpert must be prepared or DeRozan can put up some monster numbers.

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue has another option, a possible game-changer if Toronto's backcourt is on fire. LeBron James can defend either guard for parts of the game. James can put almost any player into a deep freeze when he is at his defensive best.

When it comes to this series with Toronto, a healthy dose of respect is in order.





HAUNTED BY HISTORY

I flash back to 2009. That was my favorite team of the first LeBron James Era. They had a 66-16 record. They swept through the first two rounds -- beating Detroit and Atlanta.

Yes, same two teams as this year.

I was sure that Cavs team would at least reach The Finals as they were waiting nine days for Orlando to finally knock off Boston in the second round. The Magic should have been worn out when they arrived at Quicken Loans to face the Cavs.

Final score: Orlando 107, Cavs 106.

And the Cavs lost that series in six games.

Do I expect that to happen again?

No.

But if you grew up in Northeast Ohio, there are haunting memories.

Just remind yourself that James is a far more mature player than in 2009, a superior leader who has taken his last five teams to the NBA Finals.

The Cavs have a vastly more talented roster than the 2009 group. Key players that year were Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Mo Williams, Delonte West, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao, Wally Szczerbiak and James.

But this seems so ominous: Sweeping the same two teams in the first two rounds, and the long wait before the Eastern Conference Finals as the other team has a draining seven-game series.

BACK TO REALITY

But this is 2016, not 2009.

And Kevin Love and Irving are far more gifted players than any of James' teammates on that 2009 Cavs team.

James was a more explosive player in 2009. After all, he was only 24. His legs had far fewer miles on them. But the 2016 model is a road-tested playoff warrior who knows how to win games this time of year.

I worry because there could be a game where the Cavs become so enamored with their 3-point shooting that they forget to vary their offense. Suddenly, the shots bang off the rim and Toronto's guards are bolting down the court for fast breaks.

I have concerns about Irving making sure that he doesn't worry about scoring too much, especially in the half-court offense. Keep the ball moving.

I watched Bismark Biyombo and realize he's turned into Toronto's version of Tristan Thompson. The Raptors out-rebounded Miami, 50-30, in Game 7. Biyombo averaged 13 rebounds in the final four games of the Miami series.

These Raptors are not the Atlanta Hawks. They are not the Detroit Pistons. They had the second-best regular season record in the Eastern Conference at 56-26, winning one less than the Cavs.

This is the first time in the history of Toronto's franchise that they Raptors have reached the Eastern Conference Finals. So this is giddy territory for them.

Meanwhile, the Cavs know this is just another step up a ladder, not a final destination.

I'm picking the Cavs to win ... in six games ... with a reminder that the postseason is not as easy as the Cavs have made it so far.