Garion Thorne gives you a preview and pick for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round matchup between the Cavaliers and the Raptors.<\/p>\n
Game 1 was not as close as the final score would have you believe \u2014 and the final score was a 13-point margin.<\/p>\n
The Cavaliers took care of business on their home court, dominating the second half, and disposing of the Raptors 126-113. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 32 points, while James Harden posted a 22-point, 10-assist double-double.<\/p>\n
On the DraftKings Sportsbook, Cleveland is an 8.5-point favourite in Game 2 and the team is -360 on the moneyline to make this series 2-0 heading to Toronto. As of writing, that moneyline is getting 87% of the bets, so it\u2019s safe to say that the public feels strongly for the four-seed. <\/p>\n
Do the Raptors have a chance to make things interesting? Let\u2019s preview this tilt and make some picks.<\/p>\n
Raptors at Cavaliers Game 2 prediction, preview<\/p>\n
I think the most worrisome aspect of Game 1, at least if you\u2019re Darko Rajakovic, is that Toronto sort of played the best it could have hoped for in a half-court setting. The Raptors shot 52.1% from the field. They made 13 of their 27 attempts from three-point range. They drew 35 free throw attempts. However, by the mid-way point of the fourth quarter, the squad was down 20 points. Maybe Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) is able to play through his questionable tag this evening and give Toronto another spacing threat in the starting lineup, yet it\u2019s unclear how effective the guard would be, as he\u2019s only suited up for three games since March 23. Scottie Barnes and Jamal Shead combined to shoot 8-for-10 from distance on Saturday. 80%. That duo hovered around 30% throughout the regular season and I would expect regression to hit hard in Game 2.<\/p>\n
So, what else could possible change and give Toronto a fighting chance? There\u2019s two things to focus on. First and foremost, the Raptors need to create turnovers and get out on the break. That\u2019s easier said than done in the playoffs, where the action tends to slow down, but Toronto led the NBA in fastbreak points per contest during the regular season (18.9). It\u2019s a massive aspect of their offensive profile, yet they were held to only three such points in Game 1 \u2014 the team\u2019s lowest single-game output in 2025-26. Secondly, the Raptors need more from their defense. The Cavaliers ate Toronto alive in the pick and roll, eventually generating 127.3 points per 100 possessions for Game 1 as a whole. In the regular season, the Raptors surrendered only 112.1 opponent points per 100 possessions, which was the league\u2019s fifth-best defensive rating. Could a switch to Collin Murray-Boyles in the starting lineup be incoming?<\/p>\n
On the other side, there\u2019s really nothing to assess with Cleveland. That\u2019s how solid the squad looked this past weekend. Will the team shoot 50% from three-point range every game? Probably not, but James Harden was consistently creating high-quality and open looks for his teammates, and said teammates were mostly knocking them down. The Cavaliers will eventually need a spark off the bench from someone other than Max Strus \u2014 who dropped 24 points in Game 1 \u2014 but Jaylon Tyson should become a bigger factor when he\u2019s not battling foul trouble. Really, so long as Mitchell and Harden play well, there\u2019s no reason to think this series shouldn\u2019t be wrapped up in four or five contests. Cleveland\u2019s execution and talent is that much better than Toronto\u2019s.<\/p>\n
Raptors at Cavaliers Game 2 pick, best bet<\/p>\n