Raptors’ playoff magic runs out in Game 7 loss to Cleveland

Cavaliers seize control after halftime for 114-102 victory with Toronto missing Brandon Ingram, Immanuel Quickley again

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Published May 03, 2026  •  Last updated 22 minutes ago  •  4 minute read

Ja'Kobe Walter of the Toronto Raptors reacts during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo by Jason Miller /Getty Images

Tied at halftime of Game 7. Even in total score through 6 1/2 razor-tight games with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Toronto Raptors finally ran out of steam.

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Missing key starters Brandon Ingram and Immanuel Quickley again against the NBA’s highest-paid team, the Raptors once again fought hard and were the better team in the first half in Cleveland, but it didn’t show on the scoreboard. Perhaps still stunned by RJ Barrett’s work two days earlier in Toronto, the Cavs looked off early, but stabilized both to start and finish the third quarter to seize full control of the game, eventually won 114-102.

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Cleveland’s big men — particularly Jarrett Allen, who notched a double-double in the third quarter alone and finished with 22 points, 19 rebounds and three blocks — completely overwhelmed Toronto’s front court.

The team’s star guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden weren’t great but did enough, while Toronto struggled mightily to hit shots, making only eight three-pointers on 28 attempts.

Scottie Barnes had 24 but battled foul trouble, Barrett was off in shooting 9-for-25 and the team was overwhelmed on the glass.

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There were times in the series where Jakob Poeltl and especially Collin Murray-Boyles were strong, but they saved their worst for last and Allen, brilliant to start the series before mostly disappearing, came back with a major vengeance.

Watching Allen work at times resembled observing grainy footage of Wilt Chamberlain going all men against boys decades ago.

The Raptors shot 5-for-20 in the third quarter, got out-rebounded in those 12 minutes by Allen alone and also couldn’t take care of the ball. The Cavs flipped the script there since Toronto had largely made it this far by forcing Cleveland into a lot of mistakes.

Still, a comeback Raptors season is now over. This group has a lot to be proud of: A fifth-place finish through the regular season. Posting the NBA’s fifth-best defence. Solid developmental leaps by three key young players. A breakout year from Barnes, perhaps most notably. But like the young 2014 group that seemed to arrive ahead of schedule before losing a tough Game 7 to Brooklyn, it ends here. At least for now.

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More takeaways from the last Raptors game of the season:

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CLOSING TIME

The Raptors played an excellent first half and would have built a lead if not for playing their worst at the end of the first and second quarters.

Toronto led by 10 in the first, but then allowed a 12-4 run to finish, led by Mitchell and Sam Merrill, to only lead by two points.

The late-half play was just as bad. Up nine with 2:58 left and feeling good, the Raptors promptly allowed Harden and pesky role player Max Strus to run amok and spark an 11-4 finish.

That left the game tied at the break and, amazingly, the series even in total points scored as well through 6 1/2 games.

Cleveland didn’t wait for Toronto to fall apart in the latter stages of the third quarter, instead jumping on them for nine straight points to start the frame.

Had the Raptors earned the advantage they probably deserved earlier, Allen and Cleveland’s monster third might not have ended things that soon.

RJ Barrett #9 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-110 in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026 in Toronto. Photo by Cole Burston /Getty Images

IT STILL MATTERS

Barrett had told media at shoot-around Sunday that while his jaw-dropping buzzer beater in Game 6 to force this game felt amazing, it “doesn’t really mean much if we lose tonight.”

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We get the sentiment, but the moment was going to go down in Raptors lore regardless of the final outcome of this series. Of course Barrett’s right that it would have carried more meaning had Toronto gone on to win again, but it was still one for the books.

The Raptors fell to Boston in seven games in 2022, but OG Anunoby’s ridiculous catch-and-shoot three-pointer to win Game 6 will always be remembered, even though the Raptors fell in the next game. Shots like Barrett’s and Anunoby’s (ironically later traded for each other, along with Quickley to Toronto), given the stakes, simply don’t get forgotten by those who follow the Raptors.

Kawhi Leonard and Alvin Williams (in 2001 over New York) hit bigger shots in the playoffs for Toronto since they were series winners, but Barrett and Anunoby make the all-time Raptors highlight reel for clutch shots, too.

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AROUND THE RIM

The Raptors fell to 3-4 in Game 7s, including two straight to teams with Harden on them. The Raptors also dropped to 0-10 in Cleveland in the post-season all-time. And they’ve still never won a playoff series they trailed 3-2, now losing all six of those series (Sixers 2001, Nets 2007, Cavaliers 2016, Celtics 2020, Sixers 2022) … Elsewhere, top-seeded Detroit completed a rare rally from down 3-1 to knock out the confounding Orlando Magic in Game 7. It was the Pistons first series win since 2008. Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris both starred for Detroit, while Paolo Banchero had 38 for the Magic. The Pistons will now host the Cavaliers. Only 13 teams had ever come back from 3-1 until Philadelphia did it over Boston on Saturday and Detroit followed it up a day later. It’s the first time it’s happened twice in the same playoff round. The Sixers’ win extended the career of Raptors icon Kyle Lowry, who is expected to end his playing days when Philadelphia gets eliminated and sign a one-day contract with the Raptors before officially calling it quits.

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