Gameday: Raptors @ Cavaliers, April 18th

For the first time since 2022, the Toronto Raptors will be playing playoff basketball. Game 1 of their first round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers kicks off today in an early 1:00 game, and this game will give us a taste for how the series could go schematically. Many questions will be answered regarding matchups, and who each side is attacking with which sets, or how each team will react to certain looks from the other side. 

Game 1 is a pivotal game in any series, and historically your chances of winning the series increase dramatically if you can handle business in game 1. Toronto may be the underdog in this series, but they still have a chance to pull off the upset if they play their cards right.

Series 0-0

Raptors Outlook

The Cleveland Cavaliers biggest flaw has to be their backcourt defense. James Harden and Donovan Mitchell are incredible offensive players, but on the other side of the floor, they are definitely lacking. Toronto’s backcourt duo of RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley are not the best at attacking players directly with the ball in their hands, but both have shown that they are willing off-ball movers. Toronto needs to have them chasing Quickley and Barrett through screens, flare screens for Quickley, and pin down screens for Barrett to curl off of, and just really make Cleveland’s backcourt work on the defensive end.

If Cleveland opts to switch these screening actions, Toronto needs to be quick and decisive in exploiting the subsequent mismatches. Today is a big day for Brandon Ingram, and he needs to show that he can be relied upon in a playoff setting. Cleveland’s defense does not overly help like some other defenses, they are pretty confident in their back end holding up if a breakdown occurs. Ingram will have his fair share of isolation looks, as he did in the regular season, and he needs to show that he can uplift this offense with those opportunities.

Cavaliers Outlook

Toronto will have their hands full trying to defend the Cavaliers in this series, namely their two great on-ball players in Mitchell and Harden. Toronto’s perimeter defenders are not the best, especially in their starting lineup, so Toronto may opt to have Barnes spend time on the perimeter and have Jakob Poeltl and Collin Murray-Boyles handle things in the frontcourt, like we’ve seen them do in the past. 

Toronto has to make sure that Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen do not dominate on the offensive glass as well, they can’t afford to be giving up too many extra possessions to a team I that is already lethal offensively. Poeltl’s health will play a big factor in this series, Toronto can’t afford for him to be lackluster on either end, and if he begins to look slow, they should lean on Murray-Boyles to provide some size and physicality in the paint.

Game Info

Tip-Off: 1:00 p.m. ET

Television: Amazon Prime Video

Venue: Rocket Arena

Starting Lineups (Projected)

Cleveland Cavaliers 

PG: James Harden

SG: Donovan Mitchell

SF:Dean Wade

PF: Evan Mobley 

C: Jarrett Allen

Toronto Raptors

PG: Immanuel Quickley

SG: RJ Barrett

SF: Brandon Ingram

PF: Scottie Barnes

C: Jakob Poeltl

Injury Report

Toronto Raptors

Immanuel Quickley (Hamstring) – Questionable

Cleveland Cavaliers

Thomas Bryant (Calf) – Out

Team	Spread	Money	Total
Toronto Raptors	+8.5 (–115)	+280	O 219.5 (-115)
Cleveland Cavaliers	-8.5 (-105)	-355	U 219.5 (-105)

Odds as of Apr.18th, 12:00 a.m. ET

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