CLEVELAND — Cavaliers Outlast Raptors in Game 5
Dennis Schroder showcased his skills by scoring 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, while Evan Mobley contributed significantly with two key 3-pointers, finishing the game with 23 points. This effort helped the Cleveland Cavaliers secure a 125-120 win over the Toronto Raptors in Game 5 of their first-round series on Wednesday night.
With this victory, Cleveland now leads the series 3-2, and they are set to face Toronto again on Friday night for Game 6.
Other notable performances for the Cavaliers included James Harden, who also scored 23 points, while Donovan Mitchell added another 19 points.
“From a mental strength standpoint, this was a step for us. I thought we showed good composure and resiliency,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson noted. “When we were able to let our guard down, our team continued to do so.”
On the Raptors’ side, RJ Barrett led the effort with 25 points, followed by Jacoby Walter with 20 points and Jamal Shehed, who contributed 18 points off the bench.
At halftime, the Raptors were ahead 74-67, even managing to score the first five points of the third quarter. The Cavaliers gradually came back and were leading 103-100 as the fourth quarter began.
Cleveland seized control with an aggressive start, scoring the first eight points of the final period. Jaylon Tyson tied the game at 103-103 with a step-back 3-pointer, and an immediate response from Mobley put the Cavaliers ahead 106-103.
“He’s ready for that moment. He wants that moment,” Mitchell said about Mobley. “He’s relentless on the three-ball. Those were definitely big shots for us.”
Toronto struggled in the fourth quarter, missing their first 11 shots and finishing the period with a dismal 7-of-28 from the field, whereas Cleveland capitalized by making 7-of-11 attempts.
“I’m not just blaming the fourth quarter. We can’t allow this team to score 125 points,” said Raptors coach Darko Radjaković.
The Raptors were also hindered by injuries, with forward Brandon Ingram leaving the game in the second quarter due to right heel inflammation. All-Star Scottie Barnes also struggled, only managing to score three of his 17 points in the second half after getting kneed earlier in the game.
“For the most part, I thought we had this game. We played good enough to win. Only in the fourth quarter, they played a little bit better,” Barrett reflected. “What can you do? It’s the playoffs. Come on, it’s life or death. Give them credit. We’ll be ready on Friday.”
Despite committing 15 turnovers and allowing Toronto to score 28 points off them, the Cavaliers managed to secure the win. They initially scored only 10 points in the first half from turnovers, but the Raptors converted that into 23 points.
“I thought our ball handling and Dennis took some of the pressure off (Mitchell) and (Harden) in the second half, so I think that was a part of it. If we’re going to win on the road, we’ve got to find a way to take that pressure off,” Atkinson concluded.
