The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors 132-126 in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs, with James Harden playing a pivotal role in the victory. His presence significantly impacted the game, allowing teammates like Donovan Mitchell to thrive offensively.
Key points
Cavaliers won 132-126 against Raptors in Game 1
James Harden's impact forced defensive adjustments
Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points in the game
Cavaliers utilized high pick-and-roll strategies
Win sets a positive tone for Cavaliers in playoffs
Cleveland CavaliersToronto RaptorsIndiana Pacers
Apr 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) is introduced before the game between the Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors in game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Apr 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) is introduced before the game between the Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors in game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
CLEVELAND â White dress shirt, white sports jacket, white bowtie, white three-quarter-length dress shorts, white socks, and a pair of his own signature basketball shoes. Whether or not they were the same pair James Harden wore 45 minutes earlier during the Cleveland Cavaliersâ 126-113 Game 1 win over the Toronto Raptors is unknown.
What we do know is that it takes a certain kind of superstar to have the confidence to make an outfit like this work on an overcast and rainy Cleveland spring day. And Harden is exactly that kind of star. The kind that the Cavs have needed in their last few postseason runs.
**Being able to dictate the terms of a series doesnât mean that youâll win it**. It does, however, force the other team to beat you at your own game.
The Cavs were able to do that in Game 1. They kept the Raptors from running in the open court and forced them to outscore them in the half-court. And you have to be well oiled machine in the half-court if youâre going to beat a Harden-led team that way. The Raptors are not.
**Harden made the difference here**.
There are All-Star caliber players, and then thereâs ones whoâs presence causes the entire defense to shift. Every time Harden had the ball, the defense needed to adjust to account for what he could do. Whether it was sending players his way in the pick-and-roll or simply shading over to hopefully cut off his pathways to the hoop, the Raptors were aware of where he was on the court at all times.
âItâs the thing that makes everything click,â head coach Kenny Atkinson said about Harden. âHe gets us clicking. Itâs like a quarterback thatâs super accurate. Heâs just kind of picking them apart with short passes.â
**That opened everything up for his teammates**. and didnât have the gaudiest scoring totals, but they were incredibly efficient. Six of the duoâs 11 combined field goals were assisted by Harden.
**The Raptors donât have an easy way of stopping the Harden pick-and-roll**.
is more of a drop big in the pick-and-roll. Like most centers, he doesnât have the footspeed to be at the level of the screen. Because of this, Cleveland decided to start these actions much higher than the top of the arc, just a few paces inside half court. This forced the defense to guard more space, and that meant there was more room for the offense to attack.
When the defense shifted over to contain the Harden drive, he was able to dump it off to one of the bigs.
And if they gave Harden an alley, he was able to float it in for a basket over the top.
Torontoâs best counter was to send extra help into the paint and force the ball to swing outside. But that invites a whole different problem with the Cavsâ shooters.
The extra attention Harden demands also created driving lanes for .
**Mitchellâs ability to get downhill is what makes him a star**. In the past, weâve seen teams load up inside to make it difficult for him to finish in the paint. This strategy doesnât completely stop Mitchell, but it can begin to wear him down, as we saw late in the Game 2 loss to the last season.
The Raptors tried to make Mitchell finish through bodies inside, but that task is much more difficult to do when your attention is split elsewhere. Mitchell finished with 32 points, which included going 7-13 on shots in the paint and having seven attempts at the free-throw line. It was the ninth straight time Mitchell has opened a series with 30 or more points in Game 1.
âItâs his job,â Harden said. âThatâs what he gets paid the big bucks for.â
**Mitchell has changed his offensive philosophy for the regular season**. Instead of trying to get to the basket as much as he can, heâs opted instead for floaters in the lane to save his body for the postseason. But getting to the rim like this was always the plan for the playoffs.
â[Iâm just trying] to continue to put pressure on teams,â Mitchell said. âThatâs where I feel like I thrive, and making the defense have to react to that.â
**The pairing between Mitchell and Harden feels comfortable in the playoffs**. It was only one game â and not a particularly close one at that â but the duo did a good job of playing off of each other. Thatâs made possible because of the willingness each has to cede control to the other.
âWe understand that,â Harden said when asked about Mitchellâs scoring. âSo our job is to just go out there and fulfill the roles and do other things to impact the game. If he got it going, heâs going to give you 40, 50 (points). I think for us itâs just finding other ways.â
** changed the game with his scoring**. He helped cap off a first-quarter run that saw the Cavs turn a five-point deficit into a four-point advantage by scoring five points in the final 25 seconds. He then poured in eight points at the start of the third quarter to help the Cavs turn a seven-point advantage into a 22-point one.
Strus is a streaky shooter. He had it going on Saturday afternoon as he poured in 24 points on 8-10 shooting, which included going 4-6 from three.
**As good as the shooting was, Strus brings much more than that**. If he makes shots, itâs a âbonusâ according to Harden. The leadership that Strus provides and his ability to do the little things that impact winning are what make him invaluable. And it wasnât always a guarantee that heâd be able to provide it, given the injuries he was dealing with throughout the season.
âOne thing I learned is to never doubt that man,â Mitchell said. âHeâs put the time and put the work in. ⊠There was no doubt he was going to come back and make an impact.â
Q&A
How did James Harden influence the Cavaliers' win over the Raptors?
James Harden's presence forced the Raptors' defense to adjust, creating opportunities for his teammates and allowing the Cavaliers to control the game's pace.
What were Donovan Mitchell's stats in the Cavaliers' Game 1 victory?
Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, including 7-13 on shots in the paint, contributing significantly to the Cavaliers' offensive success.
What strategies did the Cavaliers use to counter the Raptors' defense?
The Cavaliers utilized high pick-and-roll actions with Harden to stretch the Raptors' defense, creating driving lanes and open shots for their players.
What does this win mean for the Cavaliers in the 2026 NBA Playoffs?
This win sets a positive tone for the Cavaliers in the playoffs, showcasing their ability to dictate the game's pace and leverage their star players effectively.
Related Articles
NBA·Recap
Murray's FT dominance irks Wolves, lifts Nuggets
Jamal Murray scored 30 points and set a franchise record by making all 16 free throw attempts in the Nuggets' 116-105 win over the Timberwolves in Game 1 of the playoffs. The victory gives Denver a 1-0 lead in the series.
ESPN News··1 min read
Sports·Recap
Pat McAfee exits WrestleMania on a stretcher before main event
Pat McAfee exits WrestleMania 42 on a stretcher after a wild match!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
NFL
Dexter Lawrence trade grades: Giants trade defensive tackle to Bengals for No. 10 overall pick, per report
Giants trade Dexter Lawrence to Bengals for the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Anything bought from the links helps support *Fear the Sword*. You can buy the Donovan Mitchell and James Harden *NBA Jam* shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homageâs Cavs gear HERE.
**The transition defense was excellent**.
The Cavs spent the lead-up to the series talking about how they need to match the Raptorsâ speed. Toronto came into this game taking the third-most shots in transition in the league. You wouldnât have known that if you just watched them here.
The Cavs were able to do this by hustling back in transition, stopping the ball in the open court, occasionally attacking the offensive glass, limiting turnovers, and generating clean offense. This all led to Toronto finishing with just three fast-break points. Thatâs nearly 16 points less than their season-long average.
**The Raptors donât have the firepower or the shot profile to easily hang with the Cavs**.
Before the game, Raptors head coach Darko RajakoviÄ talked about wanting to have his team continue to stick to their identity going up against a group that shoots as well as the Cavs. âWe cannot be changing, and we donât want to be changing at this stage.â
Thatâs fair, and could be the correct game plan, but the Raptors donât have the offensive weapons to stay in a game the Cavs are taking and making threes like this. Thatâs true even when the Raptors hit 48.1% of their own threes. The Raptors just arenât taking enough looks from the outside.
**The most efficient places to score on the court are the rim, free-throw line, and from beyond the arc**. The Cavs did those things incredibly well. Cleveland took 42% of their shots at the rim (89th percentile) and 36% of their shots from three (36th percentile). Meanwhile, the Raptors split their shots evenly between the rim, midrange, and beyond the arc. That includes taking 13% of their shots between 14 feet and the three-point line (91st percentile).
The Cavs were hitting their threes â and thatâs worth acknowledging â but itâs difficult to keep up with your opponent in most circumstances when the shots youâre forced into taking are simply much harder.
The pathway forward for the Raptors is more difficult than simply making more shots. They have to either change where theyâre taking them or keep the Cavs from getting to their spots.
**Despite how lopsided this game felt, the series isnât over yet**.
âWeâve got a long way to go,â Harden said. âOur job is to stay in the moment and take one game at a time. ⊠Things happen fast. Our job is to focus on what we can do better, watch film tomorrow, and then come out in Game 2 and be ready to go.â
