Cavaliers storm past Raptors in Game 1 of NBA Eastern finals, improve to 9-0 in playoffs

Still unbeaten, still undeniable.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are rolling through the East with ease.

LeBron James hardly missed and scored 24 points in three quarters, Kyrie Irving scored 27 and Cleveland picked up where it left off before a long layoff by thumping the Toronto Raptors, 115-84, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Tuesday night.

James made his first nine shots — one an arena-rattling powerhouse dunk — and the Cavaliers, healthy and hungry after losing in the Finals a year ago, shot 67% from the field in the first half while improving to 9-0 this postseason. Cleveland is the first team to start the playoffs with nine straight wins since San Antonio reeled off 10 in a row in 2012.

“It’s our preparation,” James, who finished 11 for 13 from the field with six rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes, said in explaining the team’s so-far-pristine postseason. “We understand the moment and guys are rising to that.”

The 31-point win was the most lopsided in Cleveland’s postseason history.

But unlike their second-round series when they made 77 three-pointers and swept Atlanta, the Cavaliers did most of their damage from close range. Cleveland made just seven of 20 three-point attempts.

DeMar DeRozan scored 18 points and Bismack Biyombo had 12 for Toronto, which had just one day to prepare after going to seven games with Miami.

“I thought they were the fresher team, the quicker team,” Raptors Coach Dwane Casey said.

Kyle Lowry, who scored 35 points in the Raptors’ series-clinching win over Miami, was held to just eight as he and the Raptors were roughed up in their first appearance in the conference finals.

Cleveland figured to have some rust following a nine-day break. But not only did the Cavaliers look refreshed, they took their game to another level. These are the Cavs at full force, not the version missing Love and Irving in last year’s Finals.

“They waited a full regular season to get back to this moment,” James said of his teammates. “They trained their bodies all season long to get back to this point and those guys have been spectacular.”