CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers opened their first-round playoff series with authority, defeating the Toronto Raptors 126-113 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference matchup. Led by Donovan Mitchell's 32 points and the decisive impact of Max Strus, the Ohio squad protected home court and took a 1-0 series lead before Game 2, which will also be played in Cleveland.
The game started with a fast pace and back-and-forth action on both sides. The Toronto Raptors, returning to the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2022, found offensive answers in RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes, while the Cleveland Cavaliers kept pace thanks to Mitchell's talent and James Harden's playmaking, who finished with 22 points and 10 assists.
For much of the first half, the Raptors competed evenly. In fact, a three-pointer from Barrett put Toronto up 45-41 and kept them close on the scoreboard. However, that's when the moment came that completely changed the game.
The Cleveland Cavaliers unleashed a devastating 27-9 run spanning the final minute of the second quarter and the first seven minutes of the third. It was the decisive stretch of the afternoon. Max Strus, coming off the bench, punished every gap in the Canadian defense and scored 11 points during the run, hitting all three of his three-pointers in that stretch. Cleveland elevated their level on both ends and turned the matchup into a one-sided affair.
Strus finished with 24 points, his best scoring output in NBA playoff history, a figure especially significant after missing the first 67 games of the season with a left foot fracture suffered in the offseason. His energy changed the game and gave the Cavaliers a second offensive option alongside Mitchell.
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With momentum firmly in their favor, Kenny Atkinson's squad continued extending their lead. A three-pointer from Sam Merrill early in the fourth quarter put the score at 100-76, the home team's largest lead and a virtual clincher. From there, Toronto could only trim the deficit in the final minutes.
For the Raptors, RJ Barrett finished with 24 points, Scottie Barnes added 21, and Jamal Shead, starting in place of Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring soreness), responded with 17 points and five three-pointers. Still, the Toronto Raptors never found defensive consistency against the Cleveland Cavaliers' offensive pace.
One key stat explained much of the result: Toronto came into the game leading the league in fast-break points with 18.9 per night, but Cleveland held them to just three points, the season low for the Canadian squad.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, maintain solid home dynamics and take the series lead in an important matchup for their championship aspirations. The Toronto Raptors, meanwhile, will need to respond quickly if they want to avoid falling into a 2-0 hole before returning to Canada.