Raptors vs Cavaliers Recap: Mobley, Markkanen Lead Cleveland In Win

Pascal Siakam and the Toronto Raptors (34-30) traveled to Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse to take on Darius Garland and the Cleveland Cavaliers (37-27) in part of the NBA Sunday slate. It was the Cavs who came out on top—winning the game with 104-96 being the final score.

It has been a struggle for both the Cavaliers and Raptors as of late. Cleveland entered this game on a three-game losing streak and having squandered a hot early start against the Philadelphia 76ers in their 125-119 loss.

Managing to get a win is helpful for the Cavaliers given they have already been passed up by some surging teams lately and now rank sixth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Darius Garland recently made his return to the Cavaliers’ lineup and his impact will be key in this game with 17 points and 10 assists on the night. A strong night from Lauri Markkanen, who totaled 22 points and 12 rebounds, along with double-figure scoring outings from Evan Mobley (20), Cedi Osman (17), and Kevin Love (15) was key.

LATEST NBA NEWS: Raptors vs Cavaliers Sunday: Lineups, Injury Reports & Broadcast Info

The Raptors put together some truly dreadful quarters on offense in this game as they were contained to fewer than 20 points in the second (17) and third (16). The Cavaliers underwhelmed in the third quarter in their own right with a game-low 14 points, but regardless, the bar was set low enough in this department overall to overcome.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were dealt a significant blow in this game, with Jarrett Allen suffering a broken thumb—sidelining him indefinitely. Evan Mobley stepped up in Allen’s absence and finished with 17 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks to go along with his 20 points. The Cavs will need a lot more of that from Mobley in the stretch-run of the season.

LATEST NBA NEWS: Raptors vs Cavaliers Sunday: Lineups, Injury Reports & Broadcast Info

There were admirable scoring efforts from the Raptors’ starters as Pascal Siakam (24), Chris Boucher (21), Scottie Barnes (19), and Scottie Barnes (19) each had at least 19 points in this game. However, the bench, which has been a real issue all season, finished with a grand total of eight points and was outscored by a scoring 29.

As for the Raptors, they were defeated by two bottom teams in consecutive outings prior to this game, between the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons. Toronto has been without some key players, but regardless, taking care of some of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference is a must. They are in the midst of a concerning slide.

KYRIE EARLY LANDING SPOTS: The 2021-22 NBA season has been a strange one for Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets, to say the least. It still remains as such given he is still ineligible to play in home games and would not even be able to play in a road matchup with the Toronto Raptors in the play-in tournament. READ MORE

Grant Afseth

Grant Afseth is an NBA reporter for NBA Analysis Network and Dallas Mavericks reporter for DallasBasketball.com. He previously covered the Indiana Pacers and NBA for CNHI's Kokomo Tribune and various NBA teams for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. Follow him on Twitter (@grantafseth), Facebook (@grantgafseth), and YouTube (@grantafseth).

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