TW
UNITED STATES. The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to impose their pace in the postseason after defeating the Toronto Raptors 115-105, going up 2-0 in their first-round series of the Eastern Conference.You may be interested in:Wembanyama makes history and is unanimously chosen as NBA 'Defensive Player of the Year'
The triumph was led by Donovan Mitchell, who scored 30 points, followed by James Harden with 28. They were joined by Evan Mobley, who contributed 25 units and eight rebounds, consolidating a dominant offense that once again made a difference. Cleveland controlled the game from start to finish and was never at a disadvantage, reaffirming their historical dominance over Toronto in the playoffs. With this victory, the Cavaliers reached 12 consecutive postseason wins against the Raptors, tying the NBA record for most consecutive wins against the same rival. The streak dates back to the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals and continued with sweeps in 2017 and 2018, solidifying a sustained hegemony in direct confrontations. For the Raptors, Scottie Barnes led the offense with 26 points, his playoff career high, while RJ Barrett added 22 points and nine rebounds. Toronto tried to react in the last quarter, getting closer 99-90 after a basket by Barnes, but Mitchell responded with seven consecutive points to seal Cleveland's victory. In addition, Harden reached a new milestone by dishing out four assists, placing him in seventh place historically in the playoffs with 1,139, also adding five steals in the game. The series will now move to Toronto, where the third game will be played this Thursday, with the Raptors forced to react to stay alive.






