Donovan Mitchell set the tone early, dropping 32 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers secured a commanding 126-113 victory over the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. The Cavaliers protected their home court with a decisive performance, pulling away just before halftime and never looking back.

Mitchell was electric, scoring at all three levels and extending his NBA-record streak to nine consecutive series openers with at least 30 points. He received crucial support from Max Strus, who ignited the bench with 24 points, including a red-hot stretch where he scored 11 during a game-breaking 27-9 run.

The fourth-seeded Cavs saw strong contributions across the board, with Evan Mobley adding 17 points and seven rebounds. Their offensive efficiency was on full display, particularly during a dominant stretch where they shot 10-of-16 from the field and 5-of-8 from deep to build an insurmountable lead that ballooned to 24 points in the fourth quarter.

For the Raptors, playing in their first playoff game since 2022, the absence of point guard Immanuel Quickley due to a hamstring strain was felt. RJ Barrett led the way with 24 points and Scottie Barnes added 21, but Toronto struggled to contain Cleveland's offensive bursts. Rookie Jamal Shead, starting in place of Quickley, showed promise with 17 points, including five three-pointers.

With a 1-0 series lead, the Cavaliers will look to maintain their momentum when they host Game 2 on Monday night. The Raptors, meanwhile, face a quick turnaround to adjust their defense and find an answer for Mitchell's explosive scoring if they hope to even the series.