Raptors drop playoff opener to Cavaliers 126-113

Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic says the team needs to ‘do a better job’ on defence after the Game 1 loss.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, Max Strus had 24 off the bench and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors 126-113 on Saturday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

James Harden had 22 points and 10 assists while Evan Mobley had 17 and seven rebounds for fourth-seeded Cleveland, which hosts Game 2 on Monday night.

Mitchell has scored at least 30 points in an NBA-record nine straight series openers.

RJ Barrett scored 24 points and Scottie Barnes had 21 for the Raptors, who were playing in their first playoff game since 2022. Toronto was missing point guard Immanuel Quickley because of a mild right hamstring strain.

Jamal Shead started in place of Quickley and had 17 points, including five 3-pointers.

Barrett’s 3-pointer pulled the Raptors to within 45-41 before Cleveland broke it open with a 27-9 run over the last 1:11 of the second quarter and first seven minutes of the third.

Strus scored 11 points during the spurt and made all three of his 3-pointers as the Cavaliers went 10 of 16 from the floor, including 5 of 8 beyond the arc.

Cleveland’s largest lead was 24 points (100-76) on Sam Merrill’s 3-pointer 13 seconds into the fourth quarter.