CLEVELAND – The No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers opened their 2026 postseason with a statement win, defeating the No. 5 seed Toronto Raptors 126-113 on Saturday night, April 18, 2026. Donovan Mitchell continued his tradition of playoff excellence, leading a balanced Cleveland attack that effectively neutralized the Raptors’ return to the postseason stage.
The win at Rocket Arena gives Cleveland a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, marking their first step toward a deep playoff run under head coach Kenny Atkinson.
Key Performances: Record-Breakers and Bench Sparks
Donovan Mitchell and Max Strus were the primary architects of the Cleveland victory, supported by a double-double performance from veteran James Harden.
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Donovan Mitchell: Scored a game-high 32 points and added 4 assists. With this performance, Mitchell set an NBA record by scoring at least 30 points in nine consecutive playoff series openers.
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Max Strus: Providing a massive lift off the bench, Strus scored a playoff career-high 24 points on high-efficiency shooting. His return to form after missing 67 games this season with a broken foot proved to be a decisive factor.
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James Harden: In his first playoff game for the Cavaliers, Harden recorded 22 points and 10 assists, dictating the tempo and facilitating Cleveland’s transition game.
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Evan Mobley: Added 17 points and 7 rebounds, providing a steady interior presence.
Raptors Struggle Without Quickley
Toronto, playing in their first playoff game since 2022, faced an uphill battle after starting point guard Immanuel Quickley was ruled out with a mild right hamstring strain.
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RJ Barrett: Led the Raptors with 24 points in a strong individual effort, but struggled to find consistent help in the half-court.
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Scottie Barnes: Finished with 21 points and 7 assists, though he was notably limited on the glass, recording only a single rebound—a significant drop from his regular-season average.
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The Second-Half Surge: Cleveland effectively put the game away with a devastating 27-9 run bridging the second and third quarters, building a lead as large as 24 points.
Key Game Stats
| Player | Team | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Donovan Mitchell | CLE | 32 | 3 | 4 |
| Max Strus | CLE | 24 | 2 | 2 |
| RJ Barrett | TOR | 24 | 4 | 3 |
| James Harden | CLE | 22 | 10 | 10 |
| Scottie Barnes | TOR | 21 | 1 | 7 |
Series Schedule (Cavaliers Lead 1-0)
The series continues at Rocket Arena for Game 2 before shifting to Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
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Game 2: Monday, April 20 @ Cleveland (4:30 PM ET / 5:30 AM IST)
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Game 3: Thursday, April 23 @ Toronto (5:30 PM ET)
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Game 4: Sunday, April 26 @ Toronto (10:30 PM ET)
Cleveland will look to protect their home court once again on Monday night, while Toronto hopes the potential return of Immanuel Quickley can help even the series before they head back to Canada.
