Cavaliers, bolstered by Harden trade, are a different team than Raptors last faced 5 months ago

Limited exposure

Cleveland's new core four of Harden, Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen has played just seven games and 92 minutes together. They have performed at a peak level, outscoring opponents by 26.7 points per 100 possessions, but it has been a limited sample size. “It probably took me a game or two just to figure out where they like the ball and what to do, what not to do, and so I’m pretty familiar,” Harden said. “In the postseason for the most part, they’re going to guard you one way until Game 3, maybe Game 4, and make an adjustment. We’ll figure out what works, figure out how they guard us, and then talk about how we can adjust and counter them."

Matchup to watch

Barnes and Mobley renew their rivalry, but this time it is on a bigger stage. The two have known each other since they were teenagers and were roommates during USA Basketball camps. Barnes was the No. 3 pick by the Raptors in the 2021 draft and went on to edge Mobley, taken one pick later, to win NBA Rookie of the Year. Mobley then had a breakout campaign last season, becoming the first Cavaliers player to be voted NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Barnes has been a force at both ends of the floor this season. He was third on the Raptors in scoring (18.1 points per game), but also was the only player in the league this season with at least 600 rebounds, 400 assists, 100 blocks and 100 steaks. “I feel like I’ve been great defensively but, for sure, I think I’ve taken it to another level. But also, finishing out the season being healthy is a great part of that,” Barnes said. Mobley is averaging 18.2 points and 9.0 rebounds. His defense hasn't been as consistent as last year, but a strong performance against Barnes could provide momentum for the rest of the playoffs. “They have Scotty, they have Brandon Ingram, a lot of different guys that have length and size, so they’re probably going to come out, try to play physical. We got to match that and exceed that,” Mobley said.

Injury report

Toronto guard Immanuel Quickley is questionable with a right mild hamstring strain. Quickley, who is averaging 16.4 points and 5.9 assists, was injured in the season finale against Brooklyn. Allen continues to deal with knee tendinitis, but feels like he will be ready to go for Game 1.

Darko's milestone

Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic is the first European coach to reach the playoffs after leading his team for an entire season. Rajakovic, who grew up in Serbia, is in his third year with the Raptors. He led Toronto to 46 wins this season, a 16-victory improvement over last year. Tuomas Iisalo coached Memphis in the playoffs last season, but the Finland native got the job with nine games remaining in the regular season after Taylor Jenkins was fired. \\\_ AP NBA: