Cavaliers-Raptors Game 2: Cleveland takes control of the series

LeBron James is long gone from Cleveland and has been for years, yet there’s something he left behind that the Cavaliers are flexing to their advantage in this first round playoff series.

Their postseason dominance over the Raptors continues, even if the “LeBronto” nickname left town with LeBron.

There could be a cry for a new moniker, now that Donovan Mitchell and James Harden have assumed the role of making life in the spring miserable for the Raptors. The Cavs have now beaten Toronto 12 straight times, and the latest victory was accomplished Monday when Mitchell and Harden couldn’t be contained and Evan Mobley chipped in as well.

“Your superstars step up. This was a superstar’s game,” said Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson.

Harden and Mitchell, especially. They combined for 58 points and took turns distancing the Cavaliers from the Raptors, enough to assume a 2-0 lead in the series and send the Raptors back home and scrambling for answers.

Here are the takeaways from the Cavs’ 10-point Game 2 win:

1. Mitchell and Harden are two much for the Raptors (so far)

Given the stakes and the situation, this served as the high-water mark for the Mitchell-Harden backcourt tandem which was formed at the trade deadline a few months ago. They were fluid and forceful and a handful Monday for the Raptors and really through both games.

This was precisely what the Cavaliers hoped for when they fused these two stars together and now they’re reaping the benefits of that decision. Both players are capable of going downhill and attacking the rim for layups or fouls, or shooting from 15 feet and beyond. It’s a combination that’s tough to defend, even for a decent group of Toronto defenders.

Not only did they score, but did so efficiently: 22-for-35 combined shooting, along with 12 rebounds and nine assists. They’re both very good isolation scorers off the dribble. And not only did they get buckets but each bring a tendency to take — and make — tough shots, while double teamed or in traffic.

There was a stretch where Mitchell had 17 points in 20 minutes and Harden 19 in 19, an impactful 1-2 punch.

“That’s why they’re stars,” said Atkinson.

Another key moment, and a curious one at that, was when Harden “gently” pushed off on Scottie Barnes, who fell to the floor. While Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic jumped from his seat and screamed for a foul, Harden shot a cold look at his fallen defender for about a second, then shot a 3-pointer that needed two bounces before falling in.

The chemistry between Harden and Mitchell seems surprisingly solid given how little time they’ve spent together, but each seems determined to make it work, which it has in this series. It helps that there’s a mutual respect; Harden willingly yields to Mitchell, and Mitchell surrenders the ball-handling to Harden, who’s the superior passer.

2. Mobley brought the Cavs a Big 3

Unwilling to let his teammates have all the fun, Mobley delivered solidly by shooting 11-for-13 for 25 points. And in the process he showed how tough the Cavs are to beat if they can get someone to play on the level of Harden and Mitchell.

Mobley comes into the playoffs following a season that was solid but partly because of injuries, not exactly a step up from 2024-25 when he was an All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year. Big things were expected in the follow-up, and it waited until Game 2 of the first round.

“He’s in a phenomenal place physically, and mentally he’s in a great flow,” said Atkinson.

When Mobley is this active on the offensive end, the Cavs aren’t as predictable and opposing defenses are punished if they pay too much respect to Harden and Mitchell. Also, Harden’s passing should not only benefit Mobley, but Jarrett Allen.

3. Brandon Ingram has some ‘splaining to do

He was mainly a ghost down the stretch of Game 1 and complained about the lack of touches. Then his Game 2 response was rather tame, putting it mildly. The Raptors aren’t trailing 0-2 in this series all because of Ingram, but his lack of an impact offensively is a serious factor.

If you combined the second half of Game 1 with the first half of Game 2, Ingram shot a combined 0-for-7 with four points.

Overall, in the last six quarters of this series he’s 3-for-16 shooting (11 points), a glaring lack of production from the Raptors’ leading scorer. And his five turnovers Monday didn’t help, either.

He’s having a forgettable series so far, and this was inflamed when he insisted that “me shooting nine shots is not going to win basketball games” after Game 1.

Well: Ingram shooting 15 times in Game 2 didn’t win a basketball game, either. Ingram has been humbled for sure, mainly by Dean Wade, but also by his own problems. He’s a rhythm scorer who thrives in the mid-range yet never established any flow Monday, even with more touches.

4. Raptors still missing Quickley

Immanuel Quickley missed his second straight playoff game with hamstring issues and the absence of the Toronto starting point guard was an obvious setback for the club.

There was no indication Tuesday about his status for Game 3; in the meantime, the Raptors went searching for additional scoring and playmaking and leaned on Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett with good results. They combined for 48 points and 10 assists but also a minus-23 combined.

Without Quickley, backup Jamal Shead had to play 38 minutes; he averaged 22 during the season. He had three turnovers and made one shot.

The Raptors also made the telling decision to reduce Jakob Poeltl’s playing time. The starting center saw just 10 minutes, his lowest in the playoffs for the Raptors.

Clearly, Toronto is grasping to find solutions and a workable rotation against the Cavaliers. Good thing there’s a break between games, because the Raptors will need the next few days to figure it out for Game 3.

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.