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Cavs Lose 93-89, Series Tied 2-2; Must Win Home

4/28/2026

33 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Cavaliers Tie Series

The Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the Toronto Raptors 93-89 in Game 4, tying the first-round series at 2-2.
Donovan Mitchell scored 20 points on 6-of-24 shooting and missed a go-ahead three-pointer in the final seconds.
James Harden added 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting but committed seven turnovers, matching his field-goal attempts.
Coach Kenny Atkinson said the Cavs must win at home to avoid a decisive Game 5 on the road.

Summary

Raptors Win

The Raptors won the playoff game on 32% shooting, the lowest percentage for a postseason victory since the 1976 ABA-NBA merger.
Collin Murray-Boyles recorded the first Raptors rookie playoff line of 15 points, 10 rebounds and two steals.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver attended and noted Cleveland made 10-of-40 three-pointers while Toronto went 4-of-30.

History

Historical Context

The ABA, founded in 1967, merged into the NBA in August 1976, adding the Nets, Nuggets, Pacers and Spurs. That merger produced low-efficiency shooting benchmarks, such as the Nets’ 45-point loss in the 1976 Finals. In Game 4 of the 2024 Raptors-Cavaliers series, Toronto shot 32 %—the same poor rate recorded in the post-merger era, prompting coach Kenny Atkinson to stress defense.

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Cavaliers Tie Series

The Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the Toronto Raptors 93-89 in Game 4, tying the first-round series at 2-2.
Donovan Mitchell scored 20 points on 6-of-24 shooting and missed a go-ahead three-pointer in the final seconds.
James Harden added 19 points on 6-of-14 shooting but committed seven turnovers, matching his field-goal attempts.
Coach Kenny Atkinson said the Cavs must win at home to avoid a decisive Game 5 on the road.

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