The Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Toronto Raptors 115-105 to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference first-round series on Monday night.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 30 points, James Harden 28, and Evan Mobley added 25 points and eight rebounds, as they had at least three players score at least 25 points in a postseason game for the second straight season and fourth time overall.
The Cavaliers have won 12 straight playoff games against the Raptors, tying the NBA postseason record for consecutive wins against an opponent.
The streak began in the 2016 Eastern Conference finals, when the Cavaliers took the final two games.
Cleveland swept Toronto in four games in the second round in 2017 and ’18.
For the Raptors, Scottie Barnes dropped a playoff career-high 26 points, while RJ Barrett had 22 points and nine rebounds.
Toronto had 16 fast-break points after being held to a season-low three on Saturday, but it now committed a season-high 22 turnovers, which led to 22 Cavaliers points.
Meanwhile, Harden had four assists to move into seventh place on the playoff career list with 1,139.
Barnes finished a layup for the Raptors’ 99-90 midway through the fourth.
Mitchell responded with seven straight points to put it away.
Cleveland had a 73-57 advantage midway through the third quarter before the Raptors countered with a 16-6 run.
The series shifts to Toronto for Game 3 on Thursday night.
