It’s been six years since the fateful day the Raptors met the LeBron James-led Cavs. The 2018 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals showcased the King’s dominance, leaving a lasting mark in the history of the NBA. However, the ones who suffered the aftermath were the members of the Toronto side, especially DeMar DeRozan. He hasn’t forgotten anything from the match that left him scarred, even to this day.

A series of four games, all of which were won by the Cleveland Cavaliers, shook the Raptors’ system. Therefore, when DeRozan said that the 2018 playoffs still “haunt” him, we’re not so shocked. Another recent revelation from Larry Nance Jr., the ex-Cavs Center, tells us that LeBron James relished every ounce of his team’s victory following the disaster he dawned upon DeMar’s team.

“The ‘LeBronto’ thing was real. The second it was scheduled, it was like a party in our locker room. Like hooo! ‘We’re going to get a little break before the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s awesome!'” Larry shared on NBA on ESPN. The first game of the semi-finals was still promising for the Raptors as they lost to the Cavs by just a point. But as the rest of the games rolled out, the difference increased. The score was 93-128 in Game 4. That was devastating enough. The semis destroyed their franchise with the results prompting Masai Ujiri to replace the coach and trade all the players. The management wanted a reformed team!

This was the impact of LeBron James and Co. on the Toronto Raptors in May of 2018. The impact of the shockwaves remained for a long time. The 2017-2018 NBA season remains a nightmare for DeMar DeRozan, who remembers every detail.

DeMar DeRozan opens up about the scars LeBron James left behind

DeRozan has nothing but respect for LeBron James. The Lakers wingman is the most powerful player on the court, and there’s hardly anyone who hasn’t faced his wrath. But the apocalypse King James brought upon the Toronto Raptors six years ago lives fresh in the memories. Sharing his experience on the Club 520 Podcast, the 6x NBA All-Star said, “I said it plenty of times, but yeah, that m**********r was impossible to beat!” It’s not hard to understand from where this reaction has come. After all, DeMar has chewed the bitter pill of (ugly) defeat against LeBron James.

By the time Game 3 arrived, LeBron and Co. already had a 2-0 lead. And well, the fans must have expected that the team from the north of the borders would win at least once. But well, it was a far-fetched dream. As the Cavs players kept sinking buckets, all hopes of winning diminished into thin air. Not only did the team lose, but the hopes of the fans and management faded away, thus leading to the replacements. DeMar DeRozan’s case was one of them- getting traded soon after for Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard.

‘LeBronto’ wasn’t a joke back then. LeBron James proved himself; how he can single-handedly destroy a team for winning. Moreover, the change that followed the devastating loss somewhat benefitted the Raptors. They evolved a team and improved themselves. However, who knows when the next reform will happen?