Game ID: 42500131
Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET
Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
CLE 35 26 36 29 126TOR 31 23 22 37 113
CLE vs TOR ScoutingCLE vs TOR Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
CLE availability going into 4/06 · back-to-backOUT Tyson missed 8 since 3/21, out tonight
OUT Wade missed 6 since 3/25, out tonight
BACK Allen back 3/27 after 10, 20 min since (73% of 28)
BACK Porter Jr. back 3/30 after 7, 18 min since (108% of 16)
BACK Nance Jr. back 3/27 after 6, 13 min since (103% of 12)
NEW Ellis 20 to 26 min over the last 5
NEW Bryant 11 to 19 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 4/08 · 1 day's restOUT Tyson missed 9 since 3/21, out tonight
OUT Wade missed 7 since 3/25, returns tonight: 21 min (95% of 22)
BACK Porter Jr. back 3/30 after 7, 20 min since (120% of 16)
NEW Ellis 20 to 27 min over the last 5
NEW Nance Jr. 12 to 18 min over the last 3
NEW Bryant 11 to 21 min over the last 4
CLE availability going into 4/10 · 1 day's restOUT Tyson missed 10 since 3/21, returns tonight: 24 min (101% of 24)
OUT Bryant missed 2 since 4/06, out tonight
BACK Wade back 4/08 after 7, 21 min since (95% of 22)
NEW Ellis 20 to 25 min over the last 5
NEW Nance Jr. 12 to 18 min over the last 3
CLE availability going into 4/12 · 1 day's restOUT Bryant missed 3 since 4/06, out tonight
BACK Tyson back 4/10 after 10, 24 min since (101% of 24)
BACK Wade back 4/08 after 7, 19 min since (86% of 22)
NEW Porter Jr. 16 to 22 min over the last 3
NEW Nance Jr. 12 to 20 min over the last 3
CLE availability going into 4/18 · 5 days' restOUT Mitchell missed 2 since 4/10, returns tonight: 31 min (91% of 34)
OUT Allen missed 2 since 4/10, returns tonight: 28 min (103% of 28)
OUT Merrill missed 2 since 4/10, returns tonight: 21 min (83% of 25)
OUT Bryant missed 4 since 4/06, out tonight
BACK Tyson back 4/10 after 10, 25 min since (105% of 24)
BACK Wade back 4/08 after 7, 19 min since (86% of 22)
NEW Ellis 20 to 25 min over the last 4
NEW Porter Jr. 16 to 23 min over the last 4
NEW Tomlin 14 to 23 min over the last 4
NEW Nance Jr. 12 to 20 min over the last 4
NEW Proctor 10 to 18 min over the last 4
CLE availability going into 4/20 · 1 day's restOUT Bryant missed 5 since 4/06, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 4/18 after 2, 31 min since (91% of 34)
BACK Allen back 4/18 after 2, 28 min since (103% of 28)
BACK Merrill back 4/18 after 2, 21 min since (83% of 25)
BACK Tyson back 4/10 after 10, 21 min since (89% of 24)
BACK Wade back 4/08 after 7, 20 min since (91% of 22)
NEW Tomlin 14 to 20 min over the last 4
NEW Proctor 10 to 23 min over the last 3
CLE availability going into 4/23 · 2 days' restOUT Bryant missed 6 since 4/06, returns tonight: 3 min (23% of 11)
OUT Proctor missed 2 since 4/18, returns tonight: 3 min (25% of 10)
BACK Mitchell back 4/18 after 2, 34 min since (100% of 34)
BACK Allen back 4/18 after 2, 27 min since (97% of 28)
BACK Merrill back 4/18 after 2, 20 min since (82% of 25)
BACK Tyson back 4/10 after 10, 19 min since (79% of 24)
BACK Wade back 4/08 after 7, 22 min since (100% of 22)
CLE availability going into 4/26 · 2 days' restBACK Mitchell back 4/18 after 2, 34 min since (99% of 34)
BACK Allen back 4/18 after 2, 27 min since (97% of 28)
BACK Merrill back 4/18 after 2, 20 min since (79% of 25)
BACK Tyson back 4/10 after 10, 18 min since (76% of 24)
BACK Bryant back 4/23 after 6, 3 min since (23% of 11)
BACK Proctor back 4/23 after 2, 3 min since (25% of 10)
CLE availability going into 4/29 · 2 days' restBACK Mitchell back 4/18 after 2, 34 min since (101% of 34)
BACK Allen back 4/18 after 2, 27 min since (97% of 28)
BACK Merrill back 4/18 after 2, 19 min since (78% of 25)
BACK Bryant back 4/23 after 6, 3 min since (23% of 11)
BACK Proctor back 4/23 after 2, 3 min since (25% of 10)
TOR availability going into 4/07 · 1 day's restOUT Quickley missed 8 since 3/23, returns tonight: 18 min (55% of 32)
NEW Walter 22 to 29 min over the last 5
TOR availability going into 4/09 · 1 day's restBACK Quickley back 4/07 after 8, 18 min since (55% of 32)
NEW Walter 22 to 29 min over the last 5
TOR availability going into 4/10 · back-to-backBACK Quickley back 4/07 after 8, 20 min since (64% of 32)
NEW Walter 22 to 29 min over the last 5
TOR availability going into 4/12 · 1 day's restBACK Quickley back 4/07 after 8, 20 min since (64% of 32)
NEW Walter 22 to 28 min over the last 5
TOR availability going into 4/18 · 5 days' restBACK Quickley back 4/07 after 8, 19 min since (60% of 32)
NEW Walter 22 to 27 min over the last 5
TOR availability going into 4/20 · 1 day's restBACK Quickley back 4/07 after 8, 19 min since (60% of 32)
NEW Walter 22 to 27 min over the last 5
TOR availability going into 4/23 · 2 days' restNEW Walter 22 to 27 min over the last 5
TOR availability going into 4/26 · 2 days' restNEW Shead 23 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Walter 22 to 27 min over the last 5
TOR availability going into 4/29 · 2 days' restNEW Shead 23 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW Walter 22 to 27 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 118, shooting 50 percent and 36 from three, 26 free throws a game; Harden at 23 and Mobley at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Without Mitchell (2 straight), Allen (2 straight), Merrill (2 straight). 5 days' rest. Toronto comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 107, shooting 52 percent and 42 from three, 23 free throws a game; Ingram at 23 and Barrett at 20 a game. 5 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-8 a night and Toronto plus-1 and the defense, Toronto allowing 107 a night to Cleveland's 118. Call it Cleveland 117, Toronto 114, Toronto keeping it close.
4/06 @ MEM 142-126 — CLE notes
CLE won 142-126. CLE shot 58% (52 of 89) to MEM's 48%, 12 of 32 from three, and went to the line 37 times to MEM's 10 — 26 points from the stripe to their 7. The glass went 48-31 for them. Mobley led with 24 (9 of 11, 5 of 8 at the line); Schröder added 22, Merrill 21. The hinge was Q2, 44-28: CLE came in trailing by 12 and left it ahead by 4, and the lead reached 17.
4/08 vs ATL 122-116 — CLE notes
CLE won 122-116. CLE shot 47% (41 of 88) to ATL's 48%, 12 of 33 from three, and went to the line 35 times to ATL's 15 — 28 points from the stripe to their 10. Mitchell led with 31 (12 of 19, 1 of 4 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Mobley added 22, Harden 21. The hinge was Q3, 44-20: CLE came in trailing by 7 and left it ahead by 17. CLE trailed 60-67 at the half and won the second half 62-49.
4/10 @ ATL 102-124 — CLE notes
CLE lost 102-124. CLE shot 45% (39 of 86) to ATL's 48%, 7 of 27 from three, and got to the line 18 times to ATL's 25. CLE turned it over 19 times to ATL's 11, and ATL turned those into 12 steals. Harden led with 20 (6 of 13, 2 of 6 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Tyson added 15, Proctor 15. Q4 was theirs, 37-28, the deficit cut from 31 to 22, but the other 3 periods went 96-65 against them. Harden's -34 in 25 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/12 vs WAS 130-117 — CLE notes
CLE won 130-117. CLE shot 54% (48 of 89) to WAS's 47%, 18 of 43 from three. CLE turned it over 19 times to WAS's 12, and WAS turned those into 10 steals. The glass went 53-30 for them. Tomlin led with 26 (9 of 16, 4 of 8 from three); Proctor added 22, Tyson 18. The hinge was Q1, 43-21: from level to 22 ahead, and the lead reached 25. Sarr was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
4/18 vs TOR 126-113 — CLE notes
CLE won 126-113. CLE shot 54% (44 of 81) to TOR's 52%, 16 of 32 from three, and got to the line 28 times to TOR's 35. Mitchell led with 32 (11 of 20, 4 of 7 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Strus added 24, Harden 22. The hinge was Q3, 36-22: a lead of 7 became 21, and the lead reached 24. Wade was the night's best plus/minus at +20.
4/20 vs TOR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 119, shooting 52 percent and 39 from three, 28 free throws a game; Harden at 21 and Mobley at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 9 a night. One day's rest. Toronto comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 110, shooting 53 percent and 44 from three, 27 free throws a game; Ingram at 24 and Barrett at 22 a game. One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the defense, Toronto allowing 110 a night to Cleveland's 119 and the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-9 a night and Toronto plus-2. Call it Cleveland 118, Toronto 115, Toronto keeping it close.
4/23 @ TOR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Toronto comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 114, shooting 53 percent and 41 from three, 27 free throws a game; Barrett at 24 and Ingram at 21 a game. 2 days' rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 115, shooting 51 percent and 38 from three, 25 free throws a game; Mitchell at 31 and Harden at 23 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 4 a night. 2 days' rest.
So: Toronto wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Toronto 116, Cleveland 115, Cleveland keeping it close.
4/26 @ TOR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Toronto comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 112, shooting 55 percent and 44 from three, 24 free throws a game; Barrett at 26 and Barnes at 23 a game. 2 days' rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 117, shooting 50 percent and 36 from three, 22 free throws a game; Mitchell at 26 and Harden at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. 2 days' rest.
So: Toronto wins, and the game turns on the arc, Toronto at 44 percent from three to Cleveland's 36 and the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-5 a night and Toronto minus-1. Call it Toronto 117, Cleveland 113, Cleveland keeping it close.
4/29 vs TOR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 111, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 23 free throws a game; Mitchell at 24 and Harden at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. 2 days' rest. Toronto comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 107, shooting 50 percent and 38 from three, 28 free throws a game; Barrett at 25 and Barnes at 24 a game. 2 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-5 a night and Toronto plus-0. Call it Cleveland 114, Toronto 112, Toronto keeping it close.
4/07 vs MIA 121-95 — TOR notes
TOR won 121-95. TOR shot 49% (49 of 99) to MIA's 36%, 12 of 28 from three. The glass went 56-44 for them. Barnes led with 25 (10 of 16); Ingram added 23, Poeltl 17. The hinge was Q2, 32-24: a lead of 5 became 13, and the lead reached 27. Shead was the night's best plus/minus at +27.
4/09 vs MIA 128-114 — TOR notes
TOR won 128-114. TOR shot 51% (44 of 86) to MIA's 56%, 13 of 30 from three, and went to the line 34 times to MIA's 14 — 27 points from the stripe to their 8. TOR turned it over 4 times to MIA's 13. Ingram led with 38 (13 of 23, 2 of 3 from three, 10 of 11 at the line); Barrett added 22, Murray-Boyles 17. The hinge was Q2, 37-24: a lead of 6 became 19, and the lead reached 26. Mamukelashvili was the night's best plus/minus at +26.
4/10 @ NYK 95-112 — TOR notes
TOR lost 95-112. TOR shot 49% (36 of 73) to NYK's 55%, 10 of 25 from three, and got to the line 20 times to NYK's 27. TOR turned it over 17 times to NYK's 10, and NYK turned those into 10 steals. Mamukelashvili led with 17 (5 of 9, 3 of 6 from three, 4 of 6 at the line); Ingram added 16, Barnes 15. Q3 was theirs, 28-28, but the other 3 periods went 84-67 against them. Walter's -20 in 29 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/12 vs BKN 136-101 — TOR notes
TOR won 136-101. TOR shot 64% (51 of 80) to BKN's 41%, 12 of 27 from three. TOR turned it over 10 times to BKN's 15. Barrett led with 26 (9 of 15, 2 of 5 from three, 6 of 9 at the line); Ingram added 25, Barnes 18. The hinge was Q4, 36-17: a lead of 16 became 35, and the lead reached 38. Barnes was the night's best plus/minus at +35.
4/18 @ CLE 113-126 — TOR notes
TOR lost 113-126. TOR shot 52% (37 of 71) to CLE's 54%, 13 of 27 from three, and went to the line 35 times to CLE's 28 — 26 points from the stripe to their 22. Barrett led with 24 (7 of 13, 3 of 6 from three, 7 of 9 at the line); Barnes added 21, Ingram 17. Q4 was theirs, 37-29, the deficit cut from 21 to 13, but the other 3 periods went 97-76 against them. Barnes's -22 in 32 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/20 @ CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 119, shooting 52 percent and 39 from three, 28 free throws a game; Harden at 21 and Mobley at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 9 a night. One day's rest. Toronto comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 110, shooting 53 percent and 44 from three, 27 free throws a game; Ingram at 24 and Barrett at 22 a game. One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the defense, Toronto allowing 110 a night to Cleveland's 119 and the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-9 a night and Toronto plus-2. Call it Cleveland 118, Toronto 115, Toronto keeping it close.
4/23 vs CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Toronto comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 114, shooting 53 percent and 41 from three, 27 free throws a game; Barrett at 24 and Ingram at 21 a game. 2 days' rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 115, shooting 51 percent and 38 from three, 25 free throws a game; Mitchell at 31 and Harden at 23 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 4 a night. 2 days' rest.
So: Toronto wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Toronto 116, Cleveland 115, Cleveland keeping it close.
4/26 vs CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Toronto comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 112, shooting 55 percent and 44 from three, 24 free throws a game; Barrett at 26 and Barnes at 23 a game. 2 days' rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 117, shooting 50 percent and 36 from three, 22 free throws a game; Mitchell at 26 and Harden at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. 2 days' rest.
So: Toronto wins, and the game turns on the arc, Toronto at 44 percent from three to Cleveland's 36 and the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-5 a night and Toronto minus-1. Call it Toronto 117, Cleveland 113, Cleveland keeping it close.
4/29 @ CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 111, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 23 free throws a game; Mitchell at 24 and Harden at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. 2 days' rest. Toronto comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 107, shooting 50 percent and 38 from three, 28 free throws a game; Barrett at 25 and Barnes at 24 a game. 2 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-5 a night and Toronto plus-0. Call it Cleveland 114, Toronto 112, Toronto keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
CLEDM D. Mitchell
DS D. Schröder
DW D. Wade
EM E. Mobley
JA J. Allen
JH J. Harden
JT J. Tyson
KE K. Ellis
LN L. Nance Jr.
MS M. Strus
NT N. Tomlin
SM S. Merrill
SC Schroder
TORAL A. Lawson
BI B. Ingram
CM C. Murray-Boyles
GD G. Dick
JB J. Battle
JM J. Mogbo
JP J. Poeltl
JS J. Shead
JW J. Walter
RB R. Barrett
SB S. Barnes
SM S. Mamukelashvili
TJ T. Jackson-Davis
CLE/TOR the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Mitchell scores 32 as Cavaliers defeat Raptors 126-113 in Game 1 of East first-round series
CLEVELAND -- — Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, Max Strus had 24 off the bench and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors 126-113 on Saturday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
James Harden had 22 points and 10 assists while Evan Mobley had 17 and seven rebounds for fourth-seeded Cleveland, which hosts Game 2 on Monday night.
It was a playoff career high in points for Strus, who missed the first 67 games this season with a broken left foot that occurred during offseason training.
“When you see the work he’s put in all season, it’s for this moment, right? This is a regular occurrence with Max, maybe not 24 (points), but just the energy level and boost he gives us,” said Mitchell, who has scored at least 30 points in an NBA-record nine straight series openers. “You give him credit for his journey, it can be a lot on the mental for him to continue to stick with it.”
RJ Barrett scored 24 points and Scottie Barnes had 21 for the Raptors, who were playing in their first playoff game since 2022. Toronto was missing point guard Immanuel Quickley because of a mild right hamstring strain.
Jamal Shead started in place of Quickley and had 17 points, including five 3-pointers.
Barrett's 3-pointer pulled the Raptors to within 45-41 before Cleveland broke it open with a 27-9 run over the last 1:11 of the second quarter and first seven minutes of the third.
Strus scored 11 points during the spurt and made all three of his 3-pointers as the Cavaliers went 10 of 16 from the floor, including 5 of 8 beyond the arc.
“We just kept saying in the timeouts (during the first half to) stay with it. We’re going to get separation,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We needed that separation for our confidence. Going into halftime if you are down, it’s a harder conversation with the players to trust what we’re doing.”
Cleveland's largest lead was 24 points (100-76) on Sam Merrill 's 3-pointer 13 seconds into the fourth quarter.
Toronto came into the game averaging a league-leading 18.9 points per game, but Cleveland held them to a season-low three.
“If we allow our opponent to score 126 points, it’s going to be tough to beat them," Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. "Unfortunately, we had a very bad start to the third quarter with lack of execution. We were way too stagnant tonight.”