Mitchell and Harden lead Cavaliers to commanding 2-0 series lead over Raptors
Apr 20, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) goes to the basket against Toronto Raptors forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) during the second half during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers took a commanding grip on their Eastern Conference first-round series with a 115-105 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night. Donovan Mitchell led the charge with 30 points while James Harden contributed 28 points and five steals in a dominant display at home.
Evan Mobley added 25 points and eight rebounds, marking the second straight season Cleveland has had at least three players score 25 or more points in a postseason game. The Cavaliers never trailed throughout the contest, maintaining control despite Toronto‘s persistent efforts to mount a comeback.
Historic playoff dominance continues
Cleveland‘s victory extended their remarkable playoff winning streak against Toronto to 12 games, tying the NBA postseason record for consecutive wins against a single opponent. This streak began during the 2016 Eastern Conference finals and includes complete sweeps in 2017 and 2018.
« They threw the kitchen sink at us, gave us a lot of different looks and (we) kept our poise, » Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. « Donovan and James closed it for us, but I thought our defense kind of forced them to go small. This is what the playoffs are about. They came at us hard and we responded. »
The Raptors showed improvement from their Game 1 performance, generating 16 fast-break points after managing just three in the series opener. Scottie Barnes led Toronto with a playoff career-high 26 points, while RJ Barrett contributed 22 points and nine rebounds.
However, turnovers proved costly for the visitors, as they committed a season-high 22 giveaways that translated into 22 Cleveland points. « The only time the game got away was when we made a lot of turnovers. We played super hard, we adjusted to how the game was going, and did certain things that helped us, » Barnes reflected.
The Cavaliers built a substantial 73-57 lead midway through the third quarter before Toronto responded with a 16-6 run to stay within striking distance. Barnes’ driving layup brought the Raptors within 99-90 in the fourth quarter, but Mitchell immediately answered with seven consecutive points to seal the victory.
Harden‘s stellar performance included four assists, moving him into seventh place on the playoff career assists list with 1,139. The series now shifts to Toronto for Game 3 on Thursday night, with the Raptors facing elimination pressure on home court.
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