Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson credits Cleveland for overcoming Raptors punches in Game 2

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson credits Cleveland for overcoming Raptors punches in Game 2

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints
By Allan Binoy, ClutchPoints | Last updated Apr 20, 2026 11:12 PM ET

The Cleveland Cavaliers are officially in the driver’s seat. After a hard-fought 115-105 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night, the Cavs hold a commanding 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series. While the final score looks relatively comfortable, head coach Kenny Atkinson made it clear that this win was anything but easy.

“They threw a lot of punches, they threw the kitchen sink at us,” Atkinson told reporters after the game. “Gave us a lot of different looks… I think they got it down to six or five, got close there. But we kept our poise.” Poise usually starts with the stars, and Cleveland had plenty of it.

#Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson liked their poise, resilience in their Game 2 win over #Raptors led by big games from Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley.

WATCH more from Atkinson’s postgame presser here: https://t.co/eLkpMBdSGD pic.twitter.com/0HY5v5vWlf

— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) April 21, 2026

Donovan Mitchell led the charge with 30 points, including a personal 7-0 run in the fourth quarter that effectively slammed the door on any Toronto comeback hopes. Mitchell also chipped in seven rebounds and five assists. Not to be outdone, veteran guard James Harden turned back the clock, racking up 28 points and five steals.

The “Beard” also moved into seventh place on the all-time playoff assist list with four dimes on the night. Inside, Evan Mobley put on a clinic. The young big man dropped 25 points on an absurd 11-of-13 shooting display while snagging eight rebounds. Atkinson specifically credited his team’s defensive versatility for disrupting the Raptors’ rhythm late in the game.

“I thought our defense kind of forced them to go small,” Atkinson noted. “They had to get some shooters out there.”For the Raptors, Scottie Barnes finished with a playoff career-high 26 points, while RJ Barrett added 22 points and nine boards. However, Toronto couldn’t overcome a dismal night from Brandon Ingram, who struggled to just seven points on 3-of-15 shooting.

With this win, the Cavs have now won 12 consecutive playoff games against Toronto, tying an NBA postseason record. The series now shifts to Scotiabank Arena for Game 3 on Thursday.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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