The Cleveland Cavaliers extended their dominant start to the season, defeating the Toronto Raptors 122-108 on Sunday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The victory improved Cleveland’s record to 17-1 and kept them undefeated at home, now 10-0 for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
Donovan Mitchell and Ty Jerome led the Cavaliers’ offense, each scoring 26 points. Jerome, who continues to impress after missing most of last season due to an ankle injury, has emerged as a key contributor.
Jarrett Allen added 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Evan Mobley recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Toronto’s Scottie Barnes and rookie Gradey Dick scored 18 points apiece, but their efforts weren’t enough to prevent the Raptors from dropping to 4-13.
The Raptors remain winless on the road this season at 0-8. RJ Barrett, playing his second game back after missing 11 contests with a fractured orbital bone, scored 16 points, and Jakob Poeltl pulled down 18 rebounds.
The Cavaliers held a six-point lead entering the fourth quarter before Mitchell scored seven consecutive points, followed by a three-pointer from Jerome. The 10-1 run pushed Cleveland’s lead to double digits, sealing the outcome.
Cleveland shot 49.5% from the field and connected on 16 of 41 attempts from beyond the arc. Jerome went 4-for-8 from three-point range, while Mitchell added five triples.
Toronto struggled with execution throughout the game, shooting just 40.2% from the floor and committing 14 turnovers. Gradey Dick exited the game in the second half with a sore left calf, further depleting the Raptors’ lineup.
The Cavaliers capitalized on their superior ball movement, recording 27 assists compared to Toronto’s 22. Despite Cleveland’s occasional lapses, their balanced offense and ability to execute in crunch time underscored their status as one of the league’s top teams.
Toronto’s bench provided some bright spots, with Jonathan Mogbo scoring 13 points and Jamal Shead adding six points and two three-pointers.
