Big Three, Big Problems: Mitchell, Harden, and Mobley Overpower Raptors in Game 2
Big Three, Big Problems: Mitchell, Harden, and Mobley Overpower Raptors in Game 2
By Sanchez
The Toronto Raptors are officially in a hole, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the ones holding the shovels.
In a dominant display of "star power" that felt like a message to the rest of the Eastern Conference, the Cavs rolled to a 115-105 victory on Monday night at Rocket Arena. The win gives Cleveland a commanding 2-0 lead in the first-round series, and more importantly, it confirms that their mid-season gamble on veteran leadership is paying off in spades.
The 83-Point Statement
When you have three players scoring at least 25 points in a single playoff game, you aren't just winning—you're demoralizing the opposition. This was only the fourth time in franchise history the Cavs have pulled off that feat, and the star trio was relentless:
Donovan Mitchell: 30 points (and a clinical seven-point run in the fourth to put the game on ice).
James Harden: 28 points, 5 steals, and a passing masterclass that moved him into 7th place on the all-time playoff assist list.
Evan Mobley: 25 points and 8 rebounds, providing the interior length that made life miserable for Toronto.
"Your superstars step up," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. "This is a superstar game. Those three led us. They hit the big shots. That's why these guys... that's why they're stars."
The Raptors’ Identity Crisis
Toronto tried to adjust. After getting scorched in Game 1, head coach Darko Rajakovic basically benched traditional center Jakob Poeltl (just nine minutes of action) to try and match Cleveland’s speed. It didn't work.
While Scottie Barnes put up a playoff career-high 26 points and RJ Barrett added 22, the Raptors were buried by a season-high 22 turnovers. You simply can't give James Harden five steals and expect to leave Cleveland with a win. To make matters worse, Brandon Ingram’s postseason struggles continued; he finished with a dismal 7 points on 3-of-15 shooting.
A Historic Curse?
Cleveland has now won 12 straight playoff games against Toronto, tying the NBA postseason record for consecutive wins against a single opponent. The streak dates back to the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals. Whether it's the LeBron era or the Mitchell-Harden era, the geography of the North apparently still runs through Northeast Ohio.
Sanchez Sideline take: The series shifts to Toronto for Game 3 on Thursday, but if Brandon Ingram doesn't find his shot and the Raptors can't stop the Cavs' "Big Three" from living in the paint, this "best-of-seven" is going to be a very short story.
Welcome to the 2026 playoffs. The standard has been set.
Do you think the Raptors’ small-ball adjustment was the right move despite the loss, or do they need to go back to Poeltl to stand a chance against Mobley and Allen in Game 3?
