DeMar DeRozan Discusses Raptors Playing LeBron James, Cavs in 2016 Playoffs

The Toronto Raptors lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in three straight postseasons between the 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons. The first of those three losses came in the Eastern Conference Finals, the only time the pair of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry took the team that deep in the postseason. 

DeRozan appeared on the All The Smoke podcast with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson and described facing LeBron James on that stage, sharing one story that demonstrated just how focused and prepared James was in the series (38:43 mark):

"It was such a challenge because that was the first time in a moment like that, playing against a player that was locked in like he was the coach. It was the first time being in a series where we're calling a play and one of our teammates came into the game and he forgets the play we were running. And LeBron's telling him what to do on our play. And it's like, 'Yeahhhhh.' It's small s--t like that... it just shows you, yo, dude is on a different level that none of us have been to or understand in a moment when it comes down to this."

The Raptors went down 2-0 in that series and were largely counted out against James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love's Cavs.

"I think we got killed the first two games in Cleveland. Turning on ESPN and social media basically saying, like, we didn't have no chance," DeRozan said. "Killing us. Killing me and Kyle. It was another conversation Kyle and I just sat and had: 'Look, we've got to go for broke, man. We've just got to go out there and lay it out.'"

Toronto evened the series at two games apiece before Cleveland won the next two games (and ultimately the NBA Finals in seven games over the Golden State Warriors, winning the first title in franchise history). 

But DeRozan was proud of that Raptors team nonetheless. 

"It was tough. The experience wasn't there, we didn't really understand what it really took to get over that hump," he said. "We were fighting amongst ourselves trying to figure it out. But to get what we got, being counted out the beginning of the season, middle of the season, playoffs... we did a lot."

While the Raptors would eventually get over the hump, winning a title in the 2018-19 season, DeRozan was not on that team since he got traded to the San Antonio Spurs in the Kawhi Leonard deal. That title-winning Raptors team was led by Leonard, Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka.

DeRozan said he had wanted one more shot to reach the Finals himself with the Raptors, especially after James left the Eastern Conference to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, and that being traded hurt for that reason.

DeRozan said seeing those Raptors win a title made him question whether he had been the problem in years past when they couldn't get over the hump—and frustrated him when that became the public perception—but he added that he was happy for his former teammates and the organization.

"When they won, I was the first person to text every last person that I played with on that team," he said. "Told them congratulations, FaceTimed them that same night. So there was never animosity toward them."