2026 NBA Playoffs - East First Round - #4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs #5 Toronto Raptors (Series tied 2-2)

[TheAlchemist]

The lack of development of Evan Mobley is so astonishingly bad.

No Iso moves. No post moves. He literally just catches rebounds and lives off the dunker spot. Moreover, rebounding could be better and he doesn't have an assist game at all.

I think long term that's the biggest issue Cleveland has. Lamarcus Aldridge (who I think he's like) or Chris Bosh, Kevin Garnett, etc all had post moves or would be able to score low post.

If I'm Cleveland i'm trading Mobley but who would take him? What piece would you get? The Harden piece was to alleviate Mitchell but it's clearly not enough and they'll have the highest paid roster in the league.

[PBnJ]

Mitchell and Harden have been awful these last 2 games.

[JujitsuFlip]

The lack of development of Evan Mobley is so astonishingly bad.

No Iso moves. No post moves. He literally just catches rebounds and lives off the dunker spot. Moreover, rebounding could be better and he doesn't have an assist game at all.

I think long term that's the biggest issue Cleveland has. Lamarcus Aldridge (who I think he's like) or Chris Bosh, Kevin Garnett, etc all had post moves or would be able to score low post.

If I'm Cleveland i'm trading Mobley but who would take him? What piece would you get? The Harden piece was to alleviate Mitchell but it's clearly not enough and they'll have the highest paid roster in the league.

Hopefully Giannis lol

Jimmy Haslam owns the Bucks and Cleveland Browns.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[nbafan38]

Cavaliers probably still make it out of this series but this series had no business being long.

[HumbleRen]

I had Cavs making it to the finals due to the bracket they were in but them struggling against a team who’s best scorer has been a complete negative on both ends of the court on top of their starting PG being out for the series is pretty sad.

I still expect the Cavs to win in 6 or 7 just simply due to the talent disparity that will eventually show itself but sheesh. If they’re struggling with this level physicality, imagine against teams who can defend at a high level and also shoot lol.

If I’m the Cavs, I’m starting Max Struss next game. Dean Wade is giving 0 on offence. If I’m the Raps, I continue the same plan to frustrate Harden and Mitchell and adjust from there.

[Tor_Raps]

Still have no idea why Atlanta wanted us over Cleveland. Cavs are free every single year. Teams don’t understand that yet?

Everyone is always worried about their frontcourt for what? Allen and Mobley should never strike fear into anyone’s hearts

And we thank the Hawks for their decision. It would have been a quick 4-0 series against the Knicks.

As soon as we got the Cavs, we didnt expect to win the series but we knew we could fight with him. We're doing this without our starting PG whos our best volume 3 point shooter and as you can see, we could desperately use his skills lol.

[everdiso]

delete

[doogie_hauser]

I don't think it will happen, but will Spida ask for a trade if the Cavs bomb out to The Raptors ?

Feels like Cleveland' and Spida's Chip window is closing.

[tsherkin]

I don't think it will happen, but will Spida ask for a trade if the Cavs bomb out to The Raptors ?

Feels like Cleveland' and Spida's Chip window is closing.

I mean, it would be a bad look. He was 6/24 in this game, and was 1/7 from 3 last game. His underperformance has been a major contributing factor for why we've been able to even up the series. He's far from alone, of course, but like, people in glass houses and all that, right?

[everdiso]

Barnes shot 14 free throws today. Ingram took 9.

Mitchell and Harden took 10 combined. Allen shot four free throws. Mobley had none. Zero.

The difference is you have guys like Barnes and Shead guarding Harden and Mitchell. Whereas you have Harden and Merrill guarding Barnes and Ingram. With the amount of flopping and foul baiting Mitchell and Harden do it's no wonder refs aren't taking them seriously. Lucky they haven't gotten a tech.

This is all nonsense. Mitchell and Harden weren't assigned to Barnes and Ingram. Barnes and Ingram weren't drawing fouls on Mitchell and Harden.

I just want this series to be over. Part of me doesn't even care if the Cavs win. I just don't want to watch Barnes and Barrett push away defenders in legal guarding position and get rewarded with trips to the line. It's garbage basketball. It's a garbage product the league is asking me to consume and I rather not spend my time or money on it anymore.

[mihaic]

Like the Raptors players haven't been mugging Harden, Mitchell, and any shooter on the Cavs all of game 3 and 4 preventing them from getting the ball? lol

Sure. It's happening on both sides. I think it's actually been a pretty even whistle this series

Today it wasn't but overall for the series, maybe so.

The Cavs shoots a lot more 3's and play alot more on perimeter whereas the Raptors drive or cut to the rim. Frankly that should be the case as the Raptors force more contact due to their offensive gameplan.

Today's discrepancy was largely due to like 8 late freethrows that were mostly intentional fouls or correct calls. It happened in the last two minutes.

Perhaps Mitchell should focus more on driving to the basket or making the shot, instead of baiting for fouls at the 3 point line, with the game on the line. If that was designed by Atkinson, it was a fail.

[Godaddycurse]

I don't think it will happen, but will Spida ask for a trade if the Cavs bomb out to The Raptors ?

Feels like Cleveland' and Spida's Chip window is closing.

he will probably sign a max extension first then ask for a trade

[BostoNZ]

Damn I was pretty surprised that Raps managed to even the series because I didn't get to see this one - at least now I know it was just the refs fault the Cavs lost though

[YogurtProducer]

Damn I was pretty surprised that Raps managed to even the series because I didn't get to see this one - at least now I know it was just the refs fault the Cavs lost though

Classic refs favoring Toronto.

[JujitsuFlip]

Sure. It's happening on both sides. I think it's actually been a pretty even whistle this series

Today it wasn't but overall for the series, maybe so.

The Cavs shoots a lot more 3's and play alot more on perimeter whereas the Raptors drive or cut to the rim. Frankly that should be the case as the Raptors force more contact due to their offensive gameplan.

Today's discrepancy was largely due to like 8 late freethrows that were mostly intentional fouls or correct calls. It happened in the last two minutes.

Perhaps Mitchell should focus more on driving to the basket or making the shot, instead of baiting for fouls at the 3 point line, with the game on the line. If that was designed by Atkinson, it was a fail.

Eh, there were a lot of very soft calls that went the Raptors way, all game. There were a few missed calls late, that the Cavs couldn't challenge, because they already won their previous 2 challenges in this game.

It's fine, the Raptors were at home and got home cookin', i just expect the same thing in the Cavs favor on Wednesday.

[JujitsuFlip]

I don't think it will happen, but will Spida ask for a trade if the Cavs bomb out to The Raptors ?

Feels like Cleveland' and Spida's Chip window is closing.

He doesn't have to ask for a trade. If he declines to sign the extension this summer, Cavs have no choice but to start fielding trade calls for him; he will essentially be an expiring contract.

[mihaic]

Today it wasn't but overall for the series, maybe so.

The Cavs shoots a lot more 3's and play alot more on perimeter whereas the Raptors drive or cut to the rim. Frankly that should be the case as the Raptors force more contact due to their offensive gameplan.

Today's discrepancy was largely due to like 8 late freethrows that were mostly intentional fouls or correct calls. It happened in the last two minutes.

Perhaps Mitchell should focus more on driving to the basket or making the shot, instead of baiting for fouls at the 3 point line, with the game on the line. If that was designed by Atkinson, it was a fail.

Eh, there were a lot of very soft calls that went the Raptors way, all game. There were a few missed calls late, that the Cavs couldn't challenge, because they already won their previous 2 challenges in this game.

It's fine, the Raptors were at home and got home cookin', i just expect the same thing in the Cavs favor on Wednesday.

It's unfortunate, I think the refs are influenced by the home crowd. I swear in game 2 there were a few momentum killing against the Raptors, though that could be my bias.

I honestly think the Cavs lost cause Mitchell did not show up. He was way subpar for his standards. Perhaps it was the Raps defence to some degree, but in part it was on him.

[mademan]

You mean the ones the officials initially got right, then Barnes complained so they switched it, and then the Cavs had to use their second challenge? That one?

They didn't have to challenge that.

The officials didn't have to let Scottie Barnes call the game, and yet...

Bad calls happen. Wasting a challenge is a choice

[JujitsuFlip]

The Cavs shoots a lot more 3's and play alot more on perimeter whereas the Raptors drive or cut to the rim. Frankly that should be the case as the Raptors force more contact due to their offensive gameplan.

Today's discrepancy was largely due to like 8 late freethrows that were mostly intentional fouls or correct calls. It happened in the last two minutes.

Perhaps Mitchell should focus more on driving to the basket or making the shot, instead of baiting for fouls at the 3 point line, with the game on the line. If that was designed by Atkinson, it was a fail.

Eh, there were a lot of very soft calls that went the Raptors way, all game. There were a few missed calls late, that the Cavs couldn't challenge, because they already won their previous 2 challenges in this game.

It's fine, the Raptors were at home and got home cookin', i just expect the same thing in the Cavs favor on Wednesday.

It's unfortunate, I think the refs are influenced by the home crowd. I swear in game 2 there were a few momentum killing against the Raptors, though that could be my bias.

I honestly think the Cavs lost cause Mitchell did not show up. He was way subpar for his standards. Perhaps it was the Raps defence to some degree, but in part it was on him.

They didn't lose game 4 because of the refs, to be sure. But in a 4 point game, attention is obviously going to be called to it.

[RB34]

Mitchell and Harden have been awful these last 2 games.

Harden is supposed to be good in the first half of a series too.