The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors 114-102 in Game 7, showcasing resilience and growth. Jarrett Allen played a pivotal role, dominating both offensively and defensively, contributing significantly to the team's victory.
Key points
Cavaliers won Game 7 against Raptors 114-102
Jarrett Allen scored 22 points and had 19 rebounds
Cavs showed resilience and overcame past failures
Kenny Atkinson praised Allen's performance
Cavs displayed toughness and character in the postseason
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 03: Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks the ball against the Toronto Raptors during the third quarter in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 03: Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks the ball against the Toronto Raptors during the third quarter in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND ā Reputations donāt change overnight, especially ones built through years of playoff failures.
The Cleveland Cavaliers didnāt alter how they were perceived with a gutsy 114-102 Game 7 win over the Toronto Raptors. They did, however, show that they donāt have to be defined by previous postseason letdowns.
**Jarrett Allen was the exact opposite of the caricature heās been made out to be**. He was the toughest player on the court on Sunday with the way he thoroughly dominated the paint on both ends of the floor.
**Defensively, Allen made it impossible for Toronto to finish inside**.
He cut off both passing and driving lanes with his activity on defense, resulting in three blocks and two steals. Allen did this while grabbing of missed shots himself when he was on the floor, translating to 19 rebounds.
This all added up to Cleveland having an impressive with him playing.
**That impact carried to the other end of the floor as well**.
Allen played with a forcefulness that Toronto couldnāt match. Every cut, screen, or drive to the hoop was made with an effort that we donāt always see from Allen, but when he has few can stop.
Q&A
What was the final score of the Cavaliers vs. Raptors Game 7?
The Cleveland Cavaliers won the Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors with a score of 114-102.
How did Jarrett Allen perform in Game 7 against the Raptors?
Jarrett Allen scored 22 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, and made three blocks, showcasing a dominant performance.
What does the Cavaliers' win over the Raptors signify for the team?
The win signifies that the Cavaliers can overcome past playoff failures and demonstrates their resilience and growth as a team.
Who is the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers?
The head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers is Kenny Atkinson.
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Head coach Kenny Atkinson saw a game like this coming with the way Allen looked in pregame intros.
āHe was flying around,ā Atkinson said. āNormally, heās enthusiastic, but it was like, āMan, what got into this guy?ā But he was ready for the moment.ā
Allenās game is momentum-based. When he starts to see a few go through, his energy and effort continue to rise. Thatās what we saw, especially in the third quarter. He finished the evening with 22 points on 7-8 shooting in the restricted area with eight huge offensive rebounds.
There was a simple message still written on the Cavsā whiteboard after Game 7: āWin the possession game again!ā Underneath that was a box with +9 in it, signaling how much they won that category.
The guards did a good job of limiting turnovers, but the real difference maker was Allenās offensive rebounding.
**Allenās lowest playoff moment came when he couldnāt keep Mitchell Robinson and the New York Knicks off the glass three years ago**. That was one of the many reasons Cleveland lost that first-round series so convincingly. Itās also where Allen made the infamous reference to the lights being ābrighter than expected.ā
This game was the exact opposite.
Allen wasnāt the one getting pushed off his spots; he was the one moving defenders out of the way and breaking their spirit in the second half.
This one game doesnāt change who Allen is moving forward. In basketball and in life, you continually need to confront and overcome the same problems.
**Allen conquering his previous challenges is emblematic of the team as a whole**.
In this series, the Cavs repeatedly showed that they can meet the moment. RJ Barrettās game-winning three in Game 6 that hung in the air for eternity before falling through mightāve broken previous versions of this team. It didnāt for this one.
Every time they had a chance to collapse after a bad break, they picked themselves back up and continued fighting. Thatās something that we havenāt consistently seen before and will help them in the postseason.
āIām proud of our group,ā Max Strus said after an impressive game of his own.
āOvercoming adversity, losing, coming back from it, showing some toughness, showing some character, showing some resilience. I think itās going to be awesome for us to go through that. Now that weāve gone through it, we know what it takes to get over the hump. I think itāll be better for us in the next rounds.ā
That is undeniably true.
**However, itās also true that the Cavs proved their loudest critics right on multiple occasions over the last two weeks**. Mental mistakes, such as struggling to get the ball over half court late in games, cost them both Game 4 and Game 6. Championship-level teams canāt afford to give away road games, especially not two in similar ways.
The Cavs are both the team that showed they donāt have to be defined by their postseason failures, and that what has led to them can pop up at any moment. The first option wasnāt there for previous groups. That, more than anything, is reason to be optimistic if you want to be.
**Talent has never been the problem with the Cavs**.
The pieces are in place for a deep postseason run. The issue, both individually and as a collective, lies in rising to the occasion in the biggest moments.
Allen isnāt the only one whoās earned the reputation as a playoff failure. Heās on the same team as James Harden ā the modern superstar most known for falling short in the clutch ā and Donovan Mitchell ā someone who hasnāt gotten out of the second round in his previous eight postseason attempts. Both will have to defeat their demons if this team is going to get over the hump.
Luckily for them, Allen provided the roadmap for doing so.
āI always feel like in this league, when you get a certain label, it always sticks with you no matter what,ā Allen said. āNo matter how hard you try to change it, itās always going to follow you around. I think that if Iā¦want to change the narrative that was placed on meā¦thatās going to weaken my strengths going forward and always try to weigh me back.
āIāve always been the guy that always just moves forward. Things happen in the past that go my way, that donāt go my way. Itās just part of playing basketball, being at the professional level. [All I can do is] just be my best going forward.ā
If Harden, Mitchell, and the rest of the team can continue following Allenās example and just be their best going forward, then maybe this group can accomplish something meaningful.