Cavaliers Drop 126 on Raptors in Game 1 and Politely Refuse to Miss Shots
Cleveland’s offense looks unfair as Toronto searches for answers after a 126–113 playoff opener
The Cleveland Cavaliers opened their playoff run like a team that had somewhere else to be, cruising past the Toronto Raptors 126–113 in Game 1. From the first few possessions, it became clear this wasn’t going to be a slow, feel-out type of playoff game. Cleveland came out scoring like they had already solved the Raptors’ defense in advance.
Toronto tried to keep things respectable early, matching buckets and staying within reach. But every time it felt like the Raptors were settling in, Cleveland responded with another scoring run. It wasn’t just one player getting hot—it was everyone. At some point, it started to feel less like a basketball game and more like a shooting drill where Cleveland forgot to miss.
By the third quarter, the Cavaliers had built enough of a cushion to make things uncomfortable. Not impossible, just uncomfortable enough that Toronto had to play perfect basketball to come back. Spoiler: they did not. Cleveland kept the pressure on, moving the ball, hitting open shots, and generally behaving like a team that enjoys scoring 126 points.
The Raptors weren’t terrible—they just weren’t Cleveland on this night. They had moments, small runs, and flashes of offense, but they couldn’t string together stops when it mattered. And in playoff basketball, giving up 126 points is usually a strong hint that things didn’t go your way.
Game 1 goes to Cleveland, who now lead the series 1–0 and look very comfortable doing it. For Toronto, the mission is simple but not easy: figure out how to slow down a team that currently appears allergic to missing shots. For fans, though, this series is already delivering entertainment—and possibly a few defensive nightmares.
