Cavaliers close regular season with 130-117 win, draw Raptors in first round
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The Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up the regular season on Sunday with a 130–117 victory over the Washington Wizards at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, then learned they will open the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors.
Young reserves seize the finale
Forward NaeQwan Tomlin led Cleveland with 26 points, while rookie guard Tyrese Proctor added 22 points and 11 rebounds. Head coach Kenny Atkinson praised the inexperienced lineup that carried the Cavaliers (52-30) in the meaningless finale, saying every young player “deserved credit” for closing the schedule on a winning note.
Playoff picture comes into focus
Sunday’s results elsewhere locked Cleveland into a first-round matchup with Toronto. The Raptors (46-36) defeated the Brooklyn Nets, and the Orlando Magic’s loss to the Boston Celtics finalized the Eastern Conference bracket. Atlanta had been the expected opponent before the Hawks fell to the Miami Heat.
Game 1 will be played Saturday or Sunday in Cleveland; the NBA will announce the exact date and time this week.
Atkinson on Toronto: “No picnic”
Atkinson acknowledged he had been preparing for Atlanta but quickly shifted his focus after the standings settled.
“You just never know,” he said. “Toronto, ya know, that’s no picnic. It’s a great basketball city, a great challenge for us.”
The Raptors swept the Cavaliers 3-0 in the regular season, though all three games occurred before Thanksgiving. Atkinson noted Cleveland’s post-deadline makeover and credited the front office: “Post-trade-deadline, we’re a better team.”
Matchup notes
- Toronto’s strengths: transition defense, team speed and forced turnovers. Atkinson singled out forward Brandon Ingram as “a high-level player.”
- Three-point comparison: Atlanta ranked sixth in the league from deep; Toronto finished 22nd, an area some believe favors Cleveland’s perimeter defense.
- Roster health: Cleveland did not have James Harden, Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder or the injured Max Strus in its previous meetings with Toronto. All are expected to be available for the playoffs, while center Thomas Bryant remains day-to-day.
The Cavaliers, eliminated in the second round last spring, begin their quest to advance further when the series opens next weekend.
Source: Hoops Wire
