The Cleveland Cavaliers are firmly in control of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors, securing a commanding 115-105 victory on Monday night.

Cavaliers Extend Historic Playoff Streak

This win gives the Cavaliers a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The game was played at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers never trailed.

Mitchell, Harden, and Mobley Lead the Charge

Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 30 points, while veteran James Harden contributed 28 points and a strong defensive performance. Evan Mobley added 25 points and 8 rebounds.

The Cavaliers became one of the few teams in NBA history to have three players score at least 25 points in a single postseason game. This is the second consecutive year Cleveland has achieved this offensive feat.

Record-Breaking Performance

Cleveland’s victory marks their 12th consecutive postseason win against Toronto, tying an NBA record for the longest winning streak by one franchise against a single opponent in playoff history. This streak dates back to the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals.

Raptors Show Resilience, Fall Short

Despite the loss, the Toronto Raptors demonstrated moments of fight. Scottie Barnes recorded a career-high 26 points, and RJ Barrett added 22 points and 9 rebounds.

Barnes helped cut the lead to single digits in the fourth quarter, but Mitchell quickly responded with seven consecutive points to stifle the Raptors’ comeback attempt.

Harden Makes History

James Harden also reached a milestone, taking sole possession of seventh place on the NBA all-time playoff assist leaderboard with 1,139 career assists. He also recorded five steals, contributing significantly to the Cavaliers’ defensive effort.

The series now shifts to Toronto, where the Raptors will need to overcome a significant deficit to avoid elimination.