Playoff Preview: 3 Keys to Cavs beating Raptors
The Cavs will win this series if they handle these three keys.
TORONTO, CANADA - NOVEMBER 24: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers stands for the National Anthem before the game against the Toronto Raptors on November 24, 2025 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images The Cleveland Cavaliers are entering the 2026 NBA Playoffs with a chip on their shoulders.
Before they can prove anything of substance and go the distance, they need to take care of business as the heavy favorites in their first-round series with the Toronto Raptors. Here are three keys to making sure that happens. All stats are via Cleaning the Glass .
1. Control the Pace The Cavs have a talent advantage in this series. But talent can only get you so far.
Winning on the margins is often what determines outcomes. If you lose the mini-battles, you lose the series. For Cleveland, losing control of the pace would be the quickest path to destruction.
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