Where LeBron and Kyrie bring home titles
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers grinded out a sometimes ugly 115-105 win over the Toronto Raptors in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead. Much of that success was due to their defense and how they shut down forward Brandon Ingram, thanks in part to the services of Dean Wade. Toronto’s leading scorer was […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers took a 2-0 series lead over the Toronto Raptors. All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. Donovan Mitchell 30 points, 5 assists, 7 rebounds, 1 steal This was another dynamic scoring game from Mitchell. He opened the night with a handful of ridiculous jumpers, including a one-legged fadeaway […]
CLEVELAND — It wasn’t pretty, but the Cleveland Cavaliers did enough to grab a 2-0 series lead in what became a somewhat physical game. They defeated the Toronto Raptors 115-105 and are firmly in the driver’s seat as the series shifts north of the border. Head coach Kenny Atkinson was concerned about his team’s intensity […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to extend their 1-0 lead as they take on the Toronto Raptors in Game 2. Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard! Go Cavs!
CLEVELAND — Telling someone back in 2015 that a Cleveland Cavaliers head coach would compare his point guard, James Harden, to Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James would probably break their brain. We live in a weird world. The Cavs have been rolling offensively since adding Harden in February. The speed at which he processes […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers took care of business in Game 1 against the Toronto Raptors. They kept Toronto from getting out in transition, forced them to play in the half-court, and then were able to out-execute them there on both sides of the court. The Raptors desperately missed Immanuel Quickley in Game 1, who was out […]
CLEVELAND — White dress shirt, white sport jacket, white bowtie, white three-quarter-length dress shorts, white socks, and a pair of his own signature basketball shoes. Whether or not they were the same pair James Harden wore 45 minutes earlier during the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 126-113 Game 1 win over the Toronto Raptors is unknown. What we […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers defended their home floor in Game 1 of their first round series against the Toronto Raptors. Let’s go over today’s winners, because there were no losers. WINNER – Pace Controlling the tempo was a point of emphasis for the Cavaliers entering this series. Toronto is one of the deadlier transition teams in […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers took care of business in a blowout win to start the 2026 NBA Playoffs. All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. Donovan Mitchell 32 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals Mark another special start to the playoffs for a guy who is one of the league’s most […]
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers took care of business in Game 1 against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday afternoon on the strength of a strong third quarter. They controlled the pace of the game and executed at a high level in the half-court thanks to superstar performances from their guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to begin the playoffs on the right foot as they take on the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of the first round. Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make […]
The wait is finally over. Playoff basketball is here, and it begins with a first-round matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors. This season has been defined by injury for the Cavs. It started with Darius Garland and Max Strus missing the beginning of the season. Injury concerns for Garland partially led to them […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers are entering the 2026 NBA Playoffs with a chip on their shoulders. Before they can prove anything of substance and go the distance, they need to take care of business as the heavy favorites in their first-round series with the Toronto Raptors. Here are three keys to making sure that happens. All […]
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers played an uninspired first 43 minutes against a tanking Indiana Pacers team that only had nine available players in early April. The final five minutes were different. Cleveland was up four with five minutes to play before hitting the accelerator. They scored 11 points over the next three minutes to […]
INDEPENDENCE — Basketball isn’t an individual sport, but you might not know that if you just watched First Take or listened to sports-talk radio. Individuals are judged solely on whether or not their teams come through in the postseason. And while that’s an important part of the conversation, one player can only do so much. […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers finally discovered midway through this season that they’re better when Jarrett Allen is heavily featured than they are when he’s not. That process was halted at the beginning of March when he injured his knee during the team’s win over the Detroit Pistons. Allen returned to the lineup the last week of […]
This is it. The last eight years for the Cleveland Cavaliers will come down to the next eight weeks. From LeBron James leaving town that jumpstarted a rebuild featuring Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. To acquiring Donovan Mitchell in 2022 to start their contention window. To multiple playoff failures, including last year’s catastrophe […]
The city of Cleveland has fallen in love with Donovan Mitchell. It seems the feeling is mutual, as the seven-time All-Star once again opened up about his time in the land. “I love Cleveland,” Mitchell told The Athletic. “I’ve said it before: I want to play here for as long as I can.” Mitchell is […]
The final weeks of the regular season are when the top teams visibly turn their attention to the postseason. They know who they are and what their identity will be in the playoffs. Unless the team is vying for a higher seeding, you will see a visible dip in play for the final weeks. The […]
INDEPENDENCE — Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has been asked how James Harden has helped this team since his arrival in early February. He’s spoken at length about how good a passer he is and how skilled he is as a scorer. But there’s one thing that sticks out above all of that — […]
INDEPENDENCE — The Cleveland Cavaliers had 41 different starting lineups throughout the regular season. That was mostly due to injuries and major trades that shook up the roster at the deadline. But of those 41 different combinations, one has yet to stick out with the playoffs starting on Saturday. As of now, head coach Kenny […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs starting on Saturday. The Cavs lost all three of their regular-season games to the Raptors, but each came before December. Let’s take a look at what the numbers say about this Raptors team. Overall team efficiency Offensive rating: 116.8, […]
INDEPENDENCE — The Cleveland Cavaliers have struggled to stay healthy all season. This has led to them having 41 different starting lineup combinations and just three players participating in 65 or more games. For context, a team like the Boston Celtics had 23 different starting lineup combinations and nine players available for 65 or more […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be taking on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs. Game 1 between the Cavs and Raptors will be on Saturday, April 18. The game will be broadcast exclusively on Prime. The schedule for the rest of the games can be seen below. Games five through seven will […]
The Cleveland Cavaliers finished the season 52-30 and have a first-round date with the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. Before we look ahead, let’s reflect on the regular season and hand out some report cards. All grades are based on our expectations for each player before the season began. Donovan Mitchell 27.9 points, 5.7 assists, 4.5 […]