Cavaliers' cold backcourt could help Raptors pull off upset

Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) looks away while making a pass against the Toronto Raptors during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Cavaliers' cold backcourt could help Raptors pull off playoff upset

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Apr 26, 2026 5:29 PM ET

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The Toronto Raptors are beginning to lock down Cleveland Cavaliers guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, which may turn the tide in their first-round playoff series.

Mitchell and Harden both started the series hot but have gone cold over their past two games, in part due to Toronto's stingy defense. The defensive effort has been key in evening the best-of-seven series at 2-2 and giving the Raptors the momentum heading into Game 5 in Cleveland on Wednesday.

Donovan Mitchell, James Harden going cold could help Raptors win series after trailing 2-0

In a 93-89 win on Sunday, Toronto contested 26-of-38 field-goal attempts by Harden and Mitchell (via ESPN Insights). They shot 6-of-26 (23 percent, atrocious) on those looks.

The Raptors' pestering of Mitchell and Harden made a difference late in Sunday's matchup. Toronto went on a 17-5 run to end the game. Mitchell also missed a game-tying three-point attempt when Cleveland trailed 90-87 with 8.6 seconds left.

The Raptors played lockdown defense

Toronto contested 26 of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden’s 38 field goal attempts, holding them to just 6-26 shooting (23%) on those looks. https://t.co/d8peEypS20
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) April 26, 2026

How did Toronto even their series vs. Cleveland?

A 17-5 RUN TO END THE GAME pic.twitter.com/DfmsvknPg7
— NBA (@NBA) April 26, 2026

Mitchell finished with 20 points on 6-of-24 shooting from the field (25 percent). Harden, meanwhile, scored 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field (42.9 percent). The struggles in Game 4 continue a cold spell for both high-scoring guards.

In the first two games of the series, Mitchell scored 31 points per game on an astounding 55.8 percent shooting from the field. Over the past two games, he has logged 17.5 PPG on 32.5 percent shooting.

Harden's numbers haven't dipped as dramatically, but his decline remains a cause for concern. In his first two games against Toronto, he averaged 25 PPG on 53.1 percent shooting from the field. Over the last two contests, the 2017-18 league MVP has averaged 18.5 PPG on 40.7 percent shooting from the field.

The Cavaliers need Harden and Mitchell to rediscover the hot hands that carried the team to wins in Games 1 and 2. If the guards don't, things will continue to snowball for Cleveland.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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