Full Breakdown
Cavaliers Pursue 3-0 Lead Over Raptors in Game 3
4/24/2026, 12:03:32 PM
Series Context and Historical Edge
The Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30) entered as the No. 4 seed against the No. 5 Toronto Raptors (46-36). The Cavs have won the first two games by double digits and hold a 12-game playoff winning streak over Toronto, the longest run against a single opponent in NBA history (14-2 all-time record).
Game 2 Recap
In Game 2, Cleveland beat Toronto 115-105. Donovan Mitchell scored 30, James Harden 28, and Evan Mobley 25 with eight rebounds. Toronto’s Scottie Barnes posted a playoff-career-high 26 points; RJ Barrett added 22 and nine rebounds. The Raptors committed 22 turnovers, yielding 22 Cavaliers points, and Harden’s five steals moved him to seventh on the playoff career assists list (1,139).
Key Players and Recent Performances
Cleveland recorded three players with at least 25 points in postseason games, a franchise record. Toronto fielded three 20-point scorers in the series, while Cleveland had only one player reach that mark. The Raptors managed 16 fast-break points after a season-low three on the previous night.
Betting Outlook and Statistics
SportsLine’s 10,000-simulation model lists Cleveland as a –2.5 road favorite with a 60 % chance to cover the spread. The over/under is 221.5 points; the model projects the over to hit in about 61 % of matchups when Cleveland is the road favorite and 58 % when Toronto is the home underdog. Recent meetings have averaged 232.1 combined points, and both games in this series have topped 220 points.
Official Statements
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson praised his team’s poise, noting the Raptors “threw the kitchen sink” at them and crediting Mitchell and Harden for closing the game. He added defense forced Toronto to play smaller. Raptors forward Scottie Barnes said turnovers were the decisive factor, emphasizing effort and adjustments.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Immanuel Quickley is listed as doubtful with a hamstring injury, but no confirmation has been released. Broadcast details confirm an 8 p.m. ET tip-off on Thursday, April 23, with streaming on Prime Video; the exact television channel remains unspecified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “They threw the kitchen sink at us, gave us a lot of different looks and (we) kept our poise,” — Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach
- “Donovan and James closed it for us, but I thought our defense kind of forced them to go small. This is what the playoffs are about. They came at us hard and we responded.” — Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach
- “The only time the game got away was when we made a lot of turnovers. We played super hard, we adjusted to how the game was going, and did certain things that helped us,” — Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors forward
What’s Next
Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m. ET in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. The Cavs will seek a 3-0 series lead, while the Raptors aim to avoid a sweep. Betting markets list Cleveland as –2.5 favorites with an over/under of 221.5 points.
