Kelly IkoNBA reporterFri, April 24, 2026 at 3:00 AM UTC·3 min readThe Toronto Raptors are on the board, scoring a bounce-back 126-104 win in Game 3 at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who now lead the seven-game series 2-1.
Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett scored 33 points apiece, while rookie Collin Murray-Boyles chipped in 22 points off the bench. The game was tied at halftime, but the Raptors used a dominant fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Given that both Cleveland and Toronto were among the best teams in creating extra possessions, Game 3 would ultimately come down to which group gave itself more of an advantage. The Raptors, a top-10 defense, rediscovered their identity: ball pressure.
Credit to head coach Darko Rajaković, who threw a wrench midway through the first quarter, inserting Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles into the lineup, and shifting to small ball with Murray-Boyles deputizing at center.
RaptorsTOR5CLE lead 2-1Toronto found avenues to switch assignments with ease, using Shead and Barrett to pressure the ball, Barnes to cover as much ground as possible and a host of others to be fully engaged in their individual roles. It also helped that Shead and Murray-Boyles, who aren't particularly good shooters, were kept on the move in order to keep themselves offensively viable.
The Cavaliers, one of the most positive ball-security teams in basketball during the regular season, coughed up the ball nine times in the opening frame, setting the tone for an aggressive Raptors defense that forced 20 turnovers, and limited the opposition to 44% from the field and 31% from 3-point range.
Ingram, who finished with just 12 points in 29 minutes, continues to struggle to carve out a go-to role in this series — which pales in comparison to teammate Barnes, who stepped up as a leader on both ends of the floor with 33 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds in Game 3.
One of the underlying storylines from the Raptors' 46-win season has been the dichotomy of Ingram's unique skillset meshed with what Rajaković is attempting to install in the half-court. Whether it's that Ingram is less than 100%, lacking in confidence or has fully succumbed to the wrath of Cavs wing Dean Wade's two-handed grip, his lack of force and urgency has reached confusing and catastrophic levels.
Heading into tonight's action, the Raptors with Ingram on the floor had been outscored by a whopping 34 points in 72 minutes, compared to outscoring the Cavs by 11 in the 24 minutes Ingram has been on the bench. The veteran forward picked up his fourth foul with about four minutes left in the first half, forcing him even further out of any hope of a rhythm. Ingram's funk likely isn't enough for Toronto to consider any drastic action like a benching, but the apparent disconnect is the difference between the Raptors having full control of the series.
Strus, who missed the majority of the season recovering from a Jones fracture in his left foot, only needed a handful of games over the last two months to demonstrate why the Cavs have been so high on the sharpshooter. Through three games this series, Strus is shooting an impressive 10-of-18 from deep. His ability to space the floor and serve as a release valve for occasional traps and doubles on the likes of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell is an obvious plus, but Strus is also an underrated rebounder with an uncanny knack for timing and angles when crashing the glass.
The combination of sheer shooting from Strus and fellow reserve Sam Merrill — along with the talent pool of Dennis Schröder, Keon Ellis and Jaylon Tyson — form arguably the NBA's deepest second unit and should continue to serve Cleveland well as it looks to seize control and right the ship in Game 4.