During the concluding 27 minutes of Game 7, the Cleveland Cavaliers squad, many expected to see performing strongly from Game 1 — the one possessing superior skill over their Toronto rivals — finally made their presence felt.
Across the final three minutes of the second quarter and spanning the entire third quarter, the Cavaliers achieved a 51.5% shooting accuracy from the field, converted 38.5% of their attempts from long range, secured 10 offensive rebounds that translated into 14 points, and forced seven turnovers which also became 14 points for them. In this identical period, Toronto managed only 29.2% from the floor and connected on just 1 of 8 three-point shots.
By the conclusion of this dominant stretch, Cleveland had transformed a nine-point deficit into a substantial 19-point lead, effectively deciding the match. Toronto mounted a late effort in the fourth but could not reduce the margin to single digits, allowing Cleveland to comfortably seal a 114-102 victory in Game 7.
With this triumph, the Cavaliers advance and will journey to Detroit to compete against the top-seeded Pistons on Tuesday evening, commencing the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Cleveland’s key contributor in this contest was big man Jarrett Allen, who stepped up significantly when Evan Mobley was plagued by foul trouble, ending the game with 22 points, 19 rebounds (eight of which were offensive), three rejections, and a couple of steals.
Donovan Mitchell contributed an additional 22 points for the Cavaliers, and James Harden, despite a slow start, registered 18 points.
Scottie Barnes delivered a strong outing for the Raptors with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, alongside nine rebounds. RJ Barrett also scored 23 points, though he required 25 attempts, making just 9 shots. As a collective unit, Toronto shot only 29% from beyond the arc for the entire game.
In the opening half, it appeared as though the Cavaliers might again be hampered by the issues that had plagued them throughout the series. Cleveland committed 13 turnovers in the first half, leading to 14 points for Toronto, and this, combined with the Cavaliers’ poor 4-of-15 shooting from long distance to start, kept the Raptors ahead for most of the half, at one point by as much as 10 points. Only consistent trips to the free-throw line kept the Cavaliers within contention.
And they did respond — an 11-2 run to close out the half drew the score level, making it 49-49 at the intermission. This moment marked the point where the Cavaliers began to alter the game’s trajectory.
Cleveland initiated the third quarter with a 9-0 scoring run, five of those points coming from Mitchell. Toronto started the third period converting just 3 of 12 field goal attempts, but the more critical issue was the five rapid turnovers that propelled the Cavaliers’ offense in transition.
Suddenly, the Cavaliers found themselves ahead by 15 points and firmly in control. This advantage soon expanded to 22, and from that point, the game’s outcome was never truly in question.
This is precisely the Cavaliers team that must perform in Detroit on Tuesday.
