Mitchell, Harden and Mobley push Cavaliers past Raptors for 2-0 series edge
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CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley combined for 83 points on Monday night as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Toronto Raptors 115-105 in Game 2 of their first-round Eastern Conference matchup, moving ahead 2-0 in the series.
Mitchell finished with 30 points, Harden added 28 and Mobley scored 25, giving Cleveland its second straight postseason with three players reaching at least 25 points in one game. Head coach Kenny Atkinson praised the trio afterward, calling the performance “a superstar game.”
The Cavaliers never trailed at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, extending their playoff winning streak against Toronto to 12 games, matching the NBA record for consecutive postseason victories over a single opponent. Cleveland also owns active 12-game streaks against Detroit and Atlanta. Game 3 is set for Thursday at Scotiabank Arena.
Toronto narrowed the deficit to nine midway through the fourth quarter, but Mitchell responded with seven unanswered points to restore control. The Raptors showed more energy after Saturday’s blowout loss, scoring 16 fast-break points compared with three in Game 1, yet they committed a season-high 22 turnovers.
Scottie Barnes led Toronto with a playoff career-best 26 points, while RJ Barrett scored 22. Brandon Ingram struggled, shooting 3-for-15 for seven points under tight defense from Dean Wade, whom both Mitchell and Harden singled out in postgame remarks.
According to ESPN, Mitchell and Harden scored or assisted on 78 of Cleveland’s 115 points (68%). Atkinson highlighted the pair’s communication, saying their constant dialogue in huddles has been pivotal since Harden’s arrival at the trade deadline.
The Cavaliers will try to push their advantage to 3-0 when the series shifts to Toronto on Thursday night.
Source: ESPN
