The Cavaliers opened the Kenny Atkinson era by playing the type of basketball they’ve been touting — fast, with pace, with a purpose. They’ve also been saying they want to get Evan Mobley more involved in his fourth season.
Well, they did all that and more in routing the Raptors by a 136-106 count in a season-opening road win.
Mobley led the way, proving why he’s one of the brightest young stars in the league, pouring in 25 points on an efficient 9-for-14 shooting. Donovan Mitchell wasn’t far behind, adding 21 of his own, and Caris LeVert was red-hot, knocking down 8 of his 9 shots en route to 19 points.
The Cavs showed off their depth and defensive prowess, especially in the paint, where they outscored the Raptors 68-38. Jarrett Allen, ever the rim protector, threw down three monster dunks during a pivotal second-quarter run that saw Cleveland pull away for good.
Toronto, meanwhile, looked like a team trying to find its footing. Scottie Barnes was ice-cold, finishing 3-for-14 for just nine points. The Raptors’ young core struggled to establish any sort of rhythm, with turnovers piling up — 19 in total, leading to 30 points for the Cavaliers. Chris Boucher came off the bench with a strong 18-point effort, and rookie Gradey Dick flashed some of his scoring potential with 16, but it was too little, too late.
The turning point came late in the second quarter. Cleveland closed the half on a 20-4 run, capitalizing on six Toronto turnovers. It was pure domination in the paint, with the Cavs hammering home five dunks in that stretch. By the time the buzzer sounded for halftime, Cleveland was sitting comfortably on a 69-49 lead.
The Cavaliers next head home to open their season at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse against Detroit.
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