The Toronto Raptors face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA playoffs at 1:00 p.m. ET, marking their first postseason meeting since 2018. Both teams have significant stakes in this series as they navigate their respective trajectories.
Key points
Toronto Raptors face Cleveland Cavaliers in NBA playoffs
Game starts at 1:00 p.m. ET
Last playoff meeting was in 2017-18 season
Cavaliers upset Raptors in that series
Both teams have significant stakes in the matchup
Mentioned in this story
LeBron James
Toronto RaptorsCleveland CavaliersLos Angeles Lakers
The first round of the NBA playoffs commences at 1:00 p.m. ET with the Toronto Raptors facing the Cleveland Cavaliers. The last time these two teams met in the postseason was during the 2017-18 season, when LeBron James and the Cavaliers upset the top-seeded Raptors in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The luster of that rivalry has gone away since LeBron left for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, but this series is a big deal for both teams. The Toronto Raptors have jumped to contention after a few years of misery, while the Cavaliers could be counting down the years they have left with this core.
The Beard enters the playoffs for the 17th straight season, but heās still looking for his first ring. Prime James Harden was one of the best scoring guards of all time, with the ability to put up nearly 40 points a game with the Houston Rockets.
He mightāve lost a step from his prime, but the 36-year-old is still an extremely talented player on offense. With the Cavaliers, he had 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game. Heās still an extremely offensive player, despite defensive struggles.
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Heāll meet a decent foil in Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley. Heās dealing with a hamstring injury, but Iām sure heāll be the starter for most of the series. The 26-year-old guard recovered from an injury-shortened 2024-25 to have a solid 2025-26.
Quickley had 16.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, but his biggest contributions are on the defensive side. He had 2.6 Defensive Win Shares, an estimate of wins contributed by a player. Still, Harden is so much more valuable offensively than Quickley is defensively, so I still expect Harden to win this matchup.
This matchup poses quite the height difference, with Ingram (6-foot-7) six inches taller than Donovan Mitchell (6-foot-2). Still, itās a very important matchup.
Ingram had 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in the regular season on the way to his second All-Star appearance in his career. Itās great to see him bounce back after a 2024-25 season that saw him play just 18 games and get shipped off from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Toronto Raptors.
Still, he doesnāt hold a candle to Mitchell, whoās had 27.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game this season. The seven-time All-Star should get MVP votes for his awesome season. Stalled extension talks have left his future with the Cavaliers in doubt, but during this playoff run, Mitchell will be the heartbeat of the Cavaliersā offense.
This matchup looks really lopsided at first glance. RJ Barrett is a high-volume scorer, with 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. Meanwhile, Dean Wade is a defensive specialist, with 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.
However, I think Wade could win this matchup. Analytics like his defense a lot, with 1.4 DWS and a 1.0 defensive box plus/minus. Barrett isnāt viewed as well by analytics, with his offensive impact (1.0 offensive box plus/minus) not doing enough to cover his defensive weaknesses (-0.7 DBPM). Wade is extremely underrated, so he gets my vote on this matchup.
This is the most even matchup of the playoffs. Scottie Barnes is a great two-way forward, with 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, while Mobley is a tall power forward, with 18.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists.
Analytics give Barnes the slight edge. He has more win shares on defense (4.5) than Mobley (2.9). While Mobleyās won a Defensive Player of the Year award in the past, Barnes is definitely worthy of one in the future. I think Barnes narrowly edges out Mobley.
The Cavaliers have prided themselves on having a tall front court, with Evan Mobley (6-foot-11) and Jarrett Allen (6-foot-9). Poetlās game is strictly in the restricted area, with 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. He makes his due with offensive rebounds and putbacks.
Allen, at least, has a little more in his toolshed. He has 15.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, with his work mostly. While Poetl and Allen are about the same on the defensive end, Allen has Poetl beat offensively. The only question is whether or not Allen will shed his postseason struggles, but with this matchup, he should get a start.
Winner: Jarrett Allen
Raptors vs. Cavaliersā Bench
The Cavaliers and Raptors have above-average benches, according to bench net rating. The Raptors have a -2.0 bench net rating, ranking no. 11, while the Cavaliers have -2.5, ranking no. 13.
The Cavaliers are enjoying a breakout from 2024 first-round pick Jaylon Tyson, who leads the benc with 13.2 points per game. Sam Merrill is a good option off the bench too, and players like Keon Ellis and Max Strus help shore up the depth.
The Raptors have also enjoyed a career year from power forward Sandro Mamukelashvili, whoās an effective bench stretch big. Collin Murray-Boyles will probably make some impact plays too, especially on defense against Mobley and Allen.
However, the Cavaliers have a major advantage in this series. They boast one of the best offenses in the league, ranking no. 3 in points scored (120) while the Raptors have a below-average offensive attack, with their 115 points per game ranking no. 17. The Cavaliers are also better at rebounding and shooting from behind the arc too, so despite teh uncertainty around next season, the Cavaliers should at least win this series.
Final Verdict: Cavaliers win 4-1
DraftKings Odds for Game 1
All odds are through DraftKings
Spread: Cleveland -8.5
Over/Under: 221.5 points
Money Line: Cavaliers -355, Raptors +280
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, callĀ 1-800-GAMBLER.
