Cavaliers, Raptors ready to square off in East finals

Back in 2007, James, with a much thicker hairline and more hops than he has today, made his first appearance in the Eastern Conference finals and carried the Cavaliers past Detroit and into the NBA Finals for the first time.

Nine years, five consecutive Finals appearances, four MVP awards and two championship rings later, James is again on the doorstep of the league’s showcase event.

Experience is just one advantage the Cavs will enjoy when they open the East finals Tuesday against the Raptors, who have scratched their way through two Game 7s in this postseason and are on their deepest playoff run.

[...] although the Cavs are recharged following a nine-day break between playoff series and have been in this spot before, James doesn’t think his or Cleveland’s postseason resume gives them any edge.

[...] unlike last year when Cleveland lost Kevin Love in the first round to a shoulder injury and Kyrie Irving went down with a broken kneecap in the Finals, James isn’t on his own, which is why the Cavs are an overwhelming favorite to make their second straight trip to the title round.

The 7-footer is recovering from a sprained right ankle sustained in Game 3 against the Heat, and his loss damages Toronto’s depth and rebounding.

Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns was the unanimous winner of the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

The 7-foot Towns received all 130 first-place votes from a panel of sports writers and broadcasters in the United States and Canada, joining Damian Lillard (2013), Blake Griffin (2011), David Robinson (1990) and Ralph Sampson (1984) as recent unanimous winners.

The first pick out of Kentucky in the 2015 draft, Towns ranked eighth in the NBA in rebounds and field-goal percentage and produced the best debut for a big man since Tim Duncan in 1998.

The Pacers promoted assistant Nate McMillan to head coach, ending the search for Frank Vogel’s replacement after less than two weeks.