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CLEVELAND — The NBA playoffs have arrived.
The No. 4-seed Cavaliers begin their potential road through the Eastern Conference with a first-round matchup against the No. 5 Toronto Raptors in a best-of-seven series. Game 1 is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, April 18, in Cleveland.
The Cavs were bounced in the second round from the 2025 postseason, the third consecutive year they appeared in the playoffs without reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
Here are Cavs-Raptors predictions from Beacon Journal writers Ryan Lewis and Nate Ulrich:
Lewis: The Cavs did drop all three games against the Raptors during the regular season, but all three games took place in a four-week period in late October and November. All three of those games were also well before Cleveland acquired James Harden, Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder, shaking up the roster. The Cavs had a disjointed regular season but are now as close to full health as they have been in quite some time. It's an interesting matchup considering Toronto's 3-0 record over the Cavs this season, but it might not properly represent where things stand for this series. Cavs over Raptors, 4-2.
Ulrich: With guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden at the controls, the Cavs have a potent offense. There shouldn't be too much concern about Cleveland scoring enough in this series, even with Toronto finishing the 2025-26 regular season tied for fifth among the NBA's 30 teams in defensive rating (112.1). On the other hand, the Cavs cannot be trusted in the crucial areas of transition and perimeter defense. The bad news for Cleveland? Toronto led the NBA in fast-break points (18.9) through 82 games. The good news for the Cavs? The Raptors ranked 26th in 3-pointers made (11.4) and 21st in 3-point percentage (35.4%). This is a guess Cleveland's firepower on offense will allow it to overcome its defensive woes: Cavs over Raptors, 4-3.
The Akron Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Toronto Raptors predictions for playoff series
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The No. 4-seed Cavaliers begin their potential road through the Eastern Conference with a first-round matchup against the No. 5 Toronto Raptors in a best-of-seven series. Game 1 is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, April 18, in Cleveland.
The Cavs were bounced in the second round from the 2025 postseason, the third consecutive year they appeared in the playoffs without reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
Here are Cavs-Raptors predictions from Beacon Journal writers Ryan Lewis and Nate Ulrich:
Cavs vs Raptors predictions: Who wins NBA playoff matchup?
Lewis: The Cavs did drop all three games against the Raptors during the regular season, but all three games took place in a four-week period in late October and November. All three of those games were also well before Cleveland acquired James Harden, Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder, shaking up the roster. The Cavs had a disjointed regular season but are now as close to full health as they have been in quite some time. It's an interesting matchup considering Toronto's 3-0 record over the Cavs this season, but it might not properly represent where things stand for this series. Cavs over Raptors, 4-2.
Ulrich: With guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden at the controls, the Cavs have a potent offense. There shouldn't be too much concern about Cleveland scoring enough in this series, even with Toronto finishing the 2025-26 regular season tied for fifth among the NBA's 30 teams in defensive rating (112.1). On the other hand, the Cavs cannot be trusted in the crucial areas of transition and perimeter defense. The bad news for Cleveland? Toronto led the NBA in fast-break points (18.9) through 82 games. The good news for the Cavs? The Raptors ranked 26th in 3-pointers made (11.4) and 21st in 3-point percentage (35.4%). This is a guess Cleveland's firepower on offense will allow it to overcome its defensive woes: Cavs over Raptors, 4-3.
The Akron Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Toronto Raptors predictions for playoff series
Continue reading...
