Inside Cleveland Cavaliers Game 1 Playoff Win Over the Toronto Raptors

Apr 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates after hitting a three point basket against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Inside Cleveland Cavaliers Game 1 Playoff Win Over the Toronto Raptors

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Alex Sabri | Last updated Apr 18, 2026 5:15 PM ET

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The Cleveland Cavaliers claimed their first postseason win of the year with a 126-113 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. Donovan Mitchell led the way for Cleveland with 32 points to pair with four assists in the playoff win. Raptors wing RJ Barrett took point for Toronto with 24 points.

Toronto's brand of big ball made it an early equal foe on the interior, but an early 3-point barrage would prove to be the biggest thorn in Cleveland's side as it fought to stay on par with the Raptors. The Cavs' frontcourt worked to keep things even as they dunked their way to 10 first-quarter points with the help of three assists from James Harden, which gave them enough of a boost to fend off the Raptors and claim a 4-point lead by quarter's end.

The Cavs would still outpace Toronto from close and long range by the final horn, with Cleveland earning 52 paint points to Toronto's 36 and a 50% clip from the 3-point line to the Raptors' 48.1%.

Cleveland's star guards would keep things in its favor as they found their own stride from beyond the arc just when the Cavs needed it most. Mitchell and Harden combined for eight makes on 14 tries by game's end while tacking on a combined 54 points and 14 assists.

Evan Mobley, along with a bench star in Max Strus, kept things going from outside as they pushed the Cavs to a dominant lead by the end of the third quarter.

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Saturday win would be the first time the Cavs faced Toronto in the playoffs since their dominant days of old in the mid 2010s, when Cleveland would only let up two playoff wins in three consecutive series from 2016-18. Cleveland earned its first win of the year over Toronto after the Raptors claimed the regular-season series in three early showdowns.

The series sweep would be the first time Toronto defeated its Cleveland counterparts in a regular season series since the 2022-23 season, when the Cavs would lock in their first playoff series and 50-win year since 2018 under the guidance of now-Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

Cleveland has claimed two first-round wins since they fell to the New York Knicks in five games that season as they earned victories early on, which gave it just enough wiggle room to claim its first playoff series win in its most recent era with a 7-game victory over the Orlando Magic in 2024. The Cavs will remain in Cleveland for Game 2, a recent bright spot for the Cavs in setting the tone of their first-round playoff bouts.

The Cavs have yet to fall in a Game 2 in the first round of their recent playoff runs, including in their sweep of the Miami Heat last season.

The Cavs will tip off against the Raptors at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Monday in Rocket Arena. The game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network and Peacock.