Former Cleveland Cavaliers Player Reveals Hilarious Toronto Raptors Story

This former Cleveland Cavaliers player has recalled a hilarious story about the Cavaliers' playoff rivalry with the Toronto Raptors.

Apr 3, 2018; Cleveland, OH, USA; Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby (3) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) react after a three-point basket by forward LeBron James (23) in the first quarter Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers bounced the Toronto Raptors from the playoffs three straight times between 2016 and 2018, earning the city of Toronto a rather interesting nickname.

"LeBronto."

After a hard-fought six-game series in 2016, the Cavaliers rolled over the Raptors in both 2017 and 2018, sweeping them twice.

Former Cleveland big man Larry Nance Jr. recently made an appearance on The Hoop Collective podcast and regaled everyone with a rather hilarious story (well, not if you're a Raptors fan) about the Cavs' reaction to learning they would play Toronto in the second round of the playoffs in 2018.

“They had no shot,” Nance said of the Raptors’ chances that year. “None. From the second it was Cavs-Raptors, they had no shot. And it’s not like ... they were a really good team. But the whole ‘LeBronto’ thing was real. The second it was scheduled, it was like a party in our locker room, like, ‘Hoo! We gonna get a little break before the Eastern Conference Finals! This is awesome!'”

Nance only played in two games that series, averaging four points and two rebounds a night, but it's not like the Cavaliers needed him.

Cleveland won a tight overtime matchup in Toronto in Game 1, routed the Raptors in Game 2, held them off in a close Game 3 and then put an exclamation point on the series win with a 128-93 victory in Game 4.

The Cavs then went on to rally from a 2-0 deficit against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, emerging with a seven-game triumph before getting swept by the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

The Raptors did somewhat redeem themselves with a Kawhi Leonard-led title in 2019, but the memories of "LeBronto" are still palpable in T-Dot.