TORONTO — The Cleveland Cavaliers demonstrated a strong performance on Wednesday night, defeating the Toronto Raptors with a decisive score of 136-106. Evan Mobley led the charge for the Cavaliers with an impressive 25 points, while Donovan Mitchell contributed with 21 points. Caris LeVert also shone brightly, shooting 8 for 9 from the field and scoring 19 points, and Jarrett Allen added 14 points to the tally. Cleveland established a commanding lead of 33 points during the game, marking their first win in five consecutive season openers against Toronto.
On the other side, the Raptors had a challenging start to their season, particularly for forward Scottie Barnes, who struggled with his shooting, making only 3 of 14 attempts and finishing with just nine points. Chris Boucher came off the bench to score 18 points, Gradey Dick added another 16 points, and guard Immanuel Quickley chipped in 13 points within 14 minutes before leaving the game due to an injury.
Key highlights from the game included Mobley’s efficient shooting, as he went 9 for 14, a crucial factor in the Cavaliers dominating the paint with a score of 68-38 over the Raptors. With Max Strus sidelined due to an ankle injury, Dean Wade took his place in the starting lineup and pulled down eight rebounds.
The Raptors kicked off their 30th NBA season by celebrating former players Damon Stoudamire, T.J. Ford, and Jerome Williams, but the on-court action did not live up to the pre-game festivities. Toronto’s night was plagued by turnovers, committing 19 of them, which led to 30 points for the Cavaliers. Many fans from the sold-out crowd of 19,800 left the arena before the game concluded, showcasing their disappointment.
A pivotal moment occurred in the second quarter when Quickley suffered a fall after a foul under his own basket, requiring him to leave the game with 2:24 remaining in the half. The team later announced that he was ruled out with a right pelvic contusion.
In a crucial stretch leading up to halftime, the Cavaliers capitalized significantly, outscoring the Raptors 20-4 over the last 5:09 of the period as Toronto recorded six turnovers. During that run, Cleveland showcased their athleticism with five dunks, three of which came from Allen, allowing them to head into the locker room with a 69-49 advantage.
Looking ahead, the Cavaliers are set to host the Detroit Pistons for their home opener on Friday night, while the Raptors will welcome former coach Nick Nurse and the Philadelphia 76ers to their home court on the same night.
