Cleveland Cavaliers end drought dating back to LeBron James era vs Toronto Raptors
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images The Cleveland Cavaliers looked on course for a damaging collapse against the Toronto Raptors after racing into a 2-0 series lead. By half-time, the Raptors had taken control, exposing Cleveland’s defensive lapses. That trend continued into the third quarter, with the Cavaliers still trailing and struggling to regain rhythm.
Darko Rajakovic’s side appeared in line to take the lead 3-2 in the series. It marked a scenario the franchise had not overcome since 2018, when LeBron James still led the team. Yet this time, Cleveland found a way to rewrite that narrative.
Cleveland Cavaliers overturn deficit to secure a win not seen since 2018 Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images Cleveland still managed to beat Toronto on Wednesday despite trailing entering the fourth quarter. It was a significant moment given how rarely the team has recovered from that position. According to ESPN, the last time the Cavaliers won under those circumstances came in Game 1 of the 2018 Eastern Conference semi-finals, also against the Raptors.
On that night, Toronto led 87-82 at the start of the fourth quarter. Cleveland relied on LeBron James to shift the momentum in dramatic fashion. James delivered a triple-double performance that dragged the Cavaliers into overtime.
From there, they completed the comeback and stunned the Raptors on their home court. That benchmark had stood untouched for years, as the Cavs had lost the 22 playoff games they entered the 4th quarter trailing. Denis Schroder steps up as stars struggle Denis Schroder proved decisive in the closing stages when Cleveland needed clarity and execution.