Dennis Schroder and Evan Mobley delivered in the clutch on Thursday—and the Cleveland Cavaliers needed every bit of it. Schroder scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, while Mobley buried two pivotal 3-pointers and finished with 23, powering Cleveland to a 125-120 win over the Toronto Raptors in Game 5 of their first-round series.
The Cavaliers now lead 3-2, with Game 6 set for Saturday in Toronto.
Cavaliers Get Contributions All Around
James Harden added 23 points, and Donovan Mitchell chipped in 19 for Cleveland. “This was a step for us from a mental toughness point of view. I thought we showed good poise and resiliency,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “When you could have let your guard down, our guys kept with it.”
RJ Barrett led Toronto with 25 points, Ja’Kobe Walter scored 20, and Jamal Shead added 18 off the bench. The Raptors held a 74-67 halftime lead, stretched it to 79-67 early in the third, and still carried a 103-100 edge into the final quarter.
That’s when Cleveland seized control. Jaylon Tyson tied the game with a step-back 3-pointer, Mobley followed with another from deep to give the Cavaliers the lead, and Schroder kept attacking. Toronto missed its first 11 shots of the fourth and went just 7-for-28 in the period, while Cleveland shot 9-for-19.
“He’s ready for those moments. He wants those moments. He works relentlessly on the 3-ball. Those were big shots for us for sure,” Mitchell said of Mobley.
Injuries Take Toll on Toronto
Toronto’s struggles were compounded by injuries. Forward Brandon Ingram exited in the second quarter with right heel inflammation, and Scottie Barnes—who scored 17 points but managed only 3 after halftime—was slowed by a quadriceps knock from Thomas Bryant.
“For the most part, I thought we had this game. We played good enough to win. Just in the fourth quarter, they played a little better,” Barrett said. “What can you do? It’s the playoffs. Now, it’s do or die. Give them credit. We’ll be ready Friday.”
Cavs Overcome Sloppy Play
The Cavaliers overcame 15 turnovers that led to 28 Toronto points, including 10 giveaways in the first half alone. Atkinson credited Schroder’s ball-handling for easing pressure late. “In the second half, I think ball-handling and Dennis helped relieve some of the pressure off Donovan and James,” he said. “If we are going to win on the road, we’ve got to find a way to clean that up.”
Cleveland heads north with momentum—and a chance to close the series.
