Toronto Raptors lose Game 1 to Cleveland Cavaliers

CLEVELAND — Which team would impose their preferred style on the other? 

Would the Cleveland Cavaliers manage to keep Game 1 of their first-round series against the Toronto Raptors a mostly half-court affair, where their superior backcourt play and size advantage in the paint would have the most impact? 

Or would the Raptors be able to speed the game up, force turnovers and play the game in the open floor, which was a key to their identity through the regular season, and especially in their three matchups against the Cavs. Toronto won all three of those — albeit all of them before Nov. 25^th — and had a 62-38 advantage in fastbreak points as a big reason why. 

The final score, 126-113 for Cleveland in a game where the Raptors trailed by 20 for most of the second half, was a good indication of which team was successful in imposing its will. After playing their first post-season game in four years, the Raptors will have to regroup by Monday night to avoid going down 0-2 to the heavily favoured Cavaliers. 

Toronto led the NBA in fastbreak points during the regular season, using its aggressive, ball-hawking defence to force turnovers and run, hunting easier offence in transition. In a playoff setting against a rested, healthy and experienced Cavs team, the Raptors’ offensive oxygen was slowly turned off.

By the end of the third quarter, the Raptors had managed just one point in transition. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers were able to carve up Toronto in the halfcourt. Led by their pair of wide-bodied, superstar guards, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, Cleveland expanded a seven-point halftime lead to 21 with a 21-6 run to start the second half. 

Mitchell led all scorers with 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting. His backcourt mate Harden had 22 points and 10 assists.

The Raptors were led by RJ Barrett, who had 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Scottie Barnes — the only Raptor still on the roster since Toronto was last in the post-season during his rookie year in 2022 — finished with 21 points and seven assists but just one rebound and five turnovers. Jamal Shead, starting for the injured Immanuel Quickley (hamstring), had 17 points and converted five of the six threes the Cavs were daring him to shoot, while Brandon Ingram — the focus of the Cavs defensive coverage for most of the game — had 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting and 7-of-10 from the line. 

CLEVELAND — Which team would impose their preferred style on the other?  Would the Cleveland Cavaliers manage to keep Game 1 of their first-round series against the Toronto Raptors a mostly half-court affair, where their superior backcourt play and size advantage in the paint would have the most impact?  Or would the Raptors be able to speed the game  Canada, Sports 

CLEVELAND — Which team would impose their preferred style on the other? 

Would the Cleveland Cavaliers manage to keep Game 1 of their first-round series against the Toronto Raptors a mostly half-court affair, where their superior backcourt play and size advantage in the paint would have the most impact? 

Or would the Raptors be able to speed the game up, force turnovers and play the game in the open floor, which was a key to their identity through the regular season, and especially in their three matchups against the Cavs. Toronto won all three of those — albeit all of them before Nov. 25^th — and had a 62-38 advantage in fastbreak points as a big reason why. 

The final score, 126-113 for Cleveland in a game where the Raptors trailed by 20 for most of the second half, was a good indication of which team was successful in imposing its will. After playing their first post-season game in four years, the Raptors will have to regroup by Monday night to avoid going down 0-2 to the heavily favoured Cavaliers. 

Toronto led the NBA in fastbreak points during the regular season, using its aggressive, ball-hawking defence to force turnovers and run, hunting easier offence in transition. In a playoff setting against a rested, healthy and experienced Cavs team, the Raptors’ offensive oxygen was slowly turned off.

By the end of the third quarter, the Raptors had managed just one point in transition. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers were able to carve up Toronto in the halfcourt. Led by their pair of wide-bodied, superstar guards, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, Cleveland expanded a seven-point halftime lead to 21 with a 21-6 run to start the second half. 

Mitchell led all scorers with 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting. His backcourt mate Harden had 22 points and 10 assists.

The Raptors were led by RJ Barrett, who had 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Scottie Barnes — the only Raptor still on the roster since Toronto was last in the post-season during his rookie year in 2022 — finished with 21 points and seven assists but just one rebound and five turnovers. Jamal Shead, starting for the injured Immanuel Quickley (hamstring), had 17 points and converted five of the six threes the Cavs were daring him to shoot, while Brandon Ingram — the focus of the Cavs defensive coverage for most of the game — had 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting and 7-of-10 from the line.