Mitchell and Harden lead Cavaliers to 2-0 lead over Raptors in 2026

The Cleveland Cavaliers took a commanding 2-0 series lead over Toronto with a 115-105 win behind 30 points from Mitchell and 28 from Harden.

Cavaliers dominate Raptors Donovan Mitchell delivered 30 points while James Harden contributed 28 as Cleveland secured a 115-105 victory over Toronto on Monday night, giving the Cavaliers a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Evan Mobley added 25 points and eight rebounds, marking the second straight postseason in which Cleveland had at least three players score 25 or more in a game and the fourth time overall. The Cavaliers never trailed in the contest, continuing their impressive playoff run against Toronto. Cleveland has now won 12 straight postseason games against the Raptors, matching an NBA record for consecutive wins over a single opponent. ## Historic playoff streaks Cleveland's 12-game winning streak over Toronto ties the NBA postseason record, a run that began during the 2016 Eastern Conference finals when the Cavaliers won the last three games. The streak continued with four-game sweeps in the second round during 2017 and 2018. The Cavaliers also share this 12-game winning streak with Detroit and Atlanta, while the Los Angeles Lakers previously held a 12-game run against Seattle from 1980 to 1989. ## Toronto's top performers Scottie Barnes led Toronto with a playoff career-high 26 points, while RJ Barrett contributed 22 points and nine rebounds. Despite their efforts, the Raptors fell short against Cleveland's balanced attack. Barnes' driving layup brought Toronto within nine points late in the fourth quarter, but the Cavaliers pulled away with a late surge. ## Game progression and key moments Cleveland built a 73-57 lead by the middle of the third quarter, but Toronto responded with a 16-6 run to cut the deficit. A driving layup by Barnes made the score 99-90 midway through the fourth, but Mitchell immediately countered with seven consecutive points to seal the victory. The Cavaliers' defense tightened in the final minutes, preventing Toronto from mounting a comeback. ## Harden's playoff milestones James Harden added four assists during the game, moving him into seventh place on the playoff career assist list with 1,139. He also recorded five steals, his fourth playoff game with at least that many steals. Harden's all-around contributions were crucial in extending Cleveland's series lead. His performance highlighted his continued impact in postseason play. ## Series shifts to Toronto The series shifts to Toronto for Game 3 on Thursday night, where the Raptors will aim to bounce back after falling behind 0-2. Cleveland's momentum and defensive strength will be tested on the road. Toronto will need a stronger collective effort to avoid elimination. The Cavaliers look to close out the series in Cleveland with home-court advantage.