Darius Garland delivered a season-best performance with 40 points, while Jarrett Allen recorded 18 points and 15 rebounds as the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers extended their winning streak to 12 games with a 132-126 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night.
Evan Mobley contributed across the board with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, helping Cleveland improve to 33-4—the fifth-best record through 37 games in league history. The Cavaliers also continued their dominance at home, boasting a league-best 20-1 record at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, while Chris Boucher provided a spark off the bench with 23 points and 12 rebounds. However, the Raptors continued their road struggles, dropping to a league-worst 1-17 away from home and suffering their 15th loss in the last 16 games.
Cleveland played without All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who was rested after logging a team-high 35 minutes in Wednesday’s 129-122 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. This victory ended the West-leading Thunder’s 15-game win streak.
Takeaways
Raptors: Toronto got an unexpected boost from Chris Boucher and rookie Jamal Shead, who combined to hit 12 of their first 13 shots, including a perfect 8-for-8 from beyond the arc. Their hot shooting helped the Raptors build a 93-81 lead midway through the third quarter. However, Shead did not play in the fourth and finished with 15 points.
Cavaliers: Head coach Kenny Atkinson warned his team about the dangers of a “trap game” on the second night of a back-to-back, but Cleveland didn’t fully lock in until the fourth quarter, where they outscored Toronto 34-23 to secure the win.
Key Moment
With just over a minute remaining, Allen hustled into the courtside seats to save a rebound off Barnes’ missed turnaround jumper that could have tied the game. Moments later, Garland drilled a three-pointer to extend Cleveland’s lead to 129-124, sealing the victory.
Key Stat
Allen and Mobley were highly efficient in the paint, combining to shoot 15-of-20 from the field, further strengthening their cases for Eastern Conference All-Star selections.
Up Next
Toronto will travel to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Saturday, while Cleveland will remain home to face the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
