Scottie Barnes delivered a career playoff night with 33 points and 11 assists as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-104 in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Thursday at Scotiabank Arena.
The win cut Cleveland’s series lead to 2-1 and ended Toronto’s 12-game playoff losing streak against the Cavaliers.
Barnes pointed to the collective mindset inside the Raptors locker room after multiple standout performances across the roster. “We really want to win. We want to do whatever it takes,” he said.
He added, “It just goes out there to show that everybody really stepped on the floor and we knew we needed everybody for this win.”
Toronto also received a career playoff-high 33 points from RJ Barrett and a 22-point breakout from Collin Murray-Boyles, reinforcing Barnes’ view of a balanced effort.
“You seen some big performances from everybody,” Barnes said. “It just goes to show how resilient we are, how bad we wanted it.”
Barnes was efficient throughout the night, shooting 11-for-17 from the field while controlling tempo as a primary initiator. He also emphasized the importance of urgency in every postseason game.
“We need every game this playoffs,” Barnes said. “Everybody wants to win. We want to win every single game.”
Toronto’s fourth-quarter surge was powered by shooting and ball movement, but Barnes kept the focus on execution rather than momentum swings.
“Just focusing on one possession at a time,” he said. “How can we finish every possession?”
He broke down the Raptors’ approach in detail, adding, “Can we finish the possession with a rebound? Can we get a loose ball? Can we just do those little things each and every single possession.”
Barnes also highlighted discipline on both ends of the floor. “Control what we can control. Be physical. Box out. Run on the other end. Execute on offense.”
The Cavaliers’ star duo of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell was held below their Game 1 and Game 2 production, something Barnes attributed to team-wide physicality.
“You just got to try to be physical, show bodies,” he said. “I think our guys did a great job of helping each other.”
Barnes also credited RJ Barrett’s two-way impact, noting his defensive versatility and scoring burst. “He’s doing so many things for our team that are just unbelievable,” Barnes said.
Barrett’s effort included switching onto multiple Cleveland scorers and producing efficient shooting splits, while Murray-Boyles became the first Raptors rookie to score 20-plus points in a playoff game.
Barnes also praised Jamison Battle’s preparation and impact, especially after his fourth-quarter shooting run. “He’s going to stay prepared, stay ready,” Barnes said. “That just goes to his hard work that he’s put in every single day.”
Looking ahead to Game 4, Barnes stressed adjustments and consistency rather than satisfaction with one win.
“We got a lot more,” he said. “We got to keep making adjustments. Go back, watch the film, see what we can get better at.”
He closed with a clear message about the series mentality. “We still got a lot of work to do.”
