CHAUNTE’L POWELL: Who’s to blame for a postseason collapse?

Want to start off with a warning for all the Georgia sports fans reading. I’m about to discuss a very sensitive subject, so reader discretion is advised.

We’ve reached the conference finals of the NBA, and with games slated for later this week fans have ample opportunity to do what they do best: argue.

After LeBron James pretty much single-handedly dismantled the LeBronto Raptors for the third straight year, the future of head coach Dwane Casey came up in discussions.

For context, Casey coached the Raptors to 59 wins, the top seed in the Eastern Conference and was voted Coach of the Year by his peers. And he still might be fired because the Raptors choked in the playoffs.

I guess we should start by clarifying what constitutes a choke, hence the warning to Georgia sports fans. A choke is when you find a way to lose despite circumstances leaning strongly in your favor. It’s a 28-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals, et cetera.

The Raptors came in as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, faced one of less talented Cavaliers teams in years and were not only defeated, but swept.

So who gets the blame for the postseason collapse?

In a news conference following Game 4’s loss, Toronto guard DeMar DeRozan said maybe James and his teammates just have Toronto’s number.

If that’s the case, and no matter what the circumstances James is going to outscore DeRozan and guard Kyle Lowry on his own, then why should Casey get the boot? What will that solve?

Were the Falcons doomed from the start facing Tom Brady, or should Matt Ryan, who received a hefty raise this week, be responsible for not picking up a few more first downs? Is LeBron really the basketball manifestation of Marvel comic villain Thanos and just going to ruin title hopes of star players until he retires? Are some franchise just cursed?

The simple answer is yes to all of this, specifically the final question.

They say every dog has its day … unless that dog is a Buffalo Bill, then you’re in for a world of hurt.

Contact sports writer Chaunte’l Powell at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @chauntelpowell.