The Cavaliers defeat the Raptors, 114-102, to clinch the collection 4-3 and advance to the Jap Convention Semifinals.
In an Jap Convention first-round playoff collection between the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers tied at three video games apiece and the combination rating tied at 669-669 by means of six video games, a tie rating at halftime of Recreation 7 was acceptable.
Nevertheless, the Cavaliers’ protection and offense took management within the second half, they usually superior to the convention semifinals with a 114-102 victory in opposition to the Raptors Sunday.
Cleveland ended the primary half on an 11-2 run, began the second half on an 11-1 run and ultimately constructed a 19-point lead within the third quarter and a 22-point lead within the fourth.
The house staff gained each recreation within the collection – the one first-round collection with no highway winner – and the house staff is now 117-41 all-time in Recreation 7s after the Philadelphia 76ers gained on the Boston Celtics Saturday and the Detroit Pistons defeated the Orlando Magic Sunday.
The fourth-seeded Cavaliers will play the top-seeded Pistons within the Lake Erie collection, beginning with Recreation 1 Tuesday in Detroit (7 ET, Peacock/NBC Sports activities).
“We go in there as underdogs, which is a problem,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson stated. “It’s going to be the same collection, with the ability to deal with their strain, their rebounding, their power, their physicality. So hopefully, this collection ready us for that.”
Listed here are 4 takeaways from Sunday’s Recreation 7:
1. Allen guidelines the paint with scoring, rebounding
Jarrett Allen (22 factors, 19 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 blocks) dominates all features of Recreation 7 as Cavs advance to the East semis.
Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen equaled a team-high 22 factors and picked up a game-high 19 rebounds. He additionally had three blocks, two assists and two steals.
He made 7-for-11 photographs from the sphere – all on the rim – and off his eight offensive rebounds, which is yet another than the Raptors had as a staff, he had three putbacks, a made free throw and an help.
Within the third quarter – when the Cavaliers created separation – Allen had 14 factors and 10 rebounds.
“He actually took over us excessive,” Atkinson stated. “That third-quarter efficiency, greatest I’ve seen him. Coached him a very long time. The offensive rebounding, and we would have liked the within scoring. We wanted another person to step up. He was simply completely unimaginable. … He was prepared for the second.”
Allen’s contributions on the glass had been a part of a dominant rebounding efficiency by the Cavaliers. Cleveland outrebounded Toronto 60-33, together with 20-7 on the offensive finish. The Cavs outscored the Raptors 23-7 in second-chance factors.
2. A number of contributions from Cavaliers rotation
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell and James Harden did what they needed to do.
Mitchell scored 15 of his 22 factors within the second half. He was 2-for-9 on 3-pointers however 7-for-11 contained in the arc, flattening 5 mid-range photographs and two on the rim.
Harden had 18 factors on 3-for-9 taking pictures and picked up 11 factors on free throws.
It wasn’t spectacular, nevertheless it was sufficient, particularly with the team-wide manufacturing.
Evan Mobley had 13 factors, seven rebounds and 4 assists; Sam Merrill scored 13 factors; Max Strus added 12 factors, eight rebounds, 5 assists and two steals; and Jaylon Tyson contributed seven factors, 9 rebounds and 4 assists.
Cleveland outscored Toronto 34-19 in bench factors.
3. Scottie Barnes continues to blossom
Scottie Barnes drops 24 factors, 9 rebounds in Recreation 7.
Toronto’s Scottie Barnes is a two-time All-Star (2024, 2026), and in his first playoff expertise because the franchise’s featured participant, he excelled.
Within the collection, Barnes averaged 24.1 factors, 8.6 assists, 6.1 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.1 steals and shot 50.9% from the sphere and 38% on 3-pointers. He was Toronto’s greatest participant in Recreation 7 with 24 factors, 9 rebounds, six assists and one block.
4. What’s subsequent for the Raptors
The Raptors went from 30 victories in 2024-25 to 46 victories this season with a roster led by Barnes and coached by Darko Rajakovic that ought to proceed to enhance in a aggressive Jap Convention.
“They’ve received a vibrant future,” Atkinson stated. “They confirmed who we thought they had been all season. Simply respect – respect for his or her coach and workers and that group of gamers.”
Barnes, Brandon Ingram (didn’t play within the last two video games of the collection with proper heel irritation), Immanuel Quickley (missed all seven playoff video games with a strained proper hamstring), RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, Gradey Dick, Ja’Kobe Walter and Collin Murray-Boyles are below contract for 2026-27.
The Raptors have staff choices on Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jamal Shead, and Garrett Temple and A.J. Lawson are free brokers.
The Raptors have the No. 19 decide within the first spherical and the No. 50 decide within the second spherical within the 2026 NBA Draft.
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Jeff Zillgitt has lined the NBA since 2008. You may e-mail him at jzillgitt@nba.com, discover his archive right here and follow him on X.