NBA: Cavs come from behind to take 3-2 series lead vs. Raptors

Dennis Schroder scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, while James Harden added 23 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a double-digit deficit to defeat the visiting Toronto Raptors 125-120 in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Wednesday night.

With the win, fourth-seeded Cleveland takes a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series and has a chance to close it out in Game 6 on Friday in Toronto. The Cavaliers have now won all three of their home games in the series.

Cleveland trailed by as many as 12 points on multiple occasions before going on a decisive 27-8 run that began late in the third quarter. The surge gave the Cavaliers a 122-111 lead after two Max Strus free throws with 4:19 remaining. Schroder sparked the rally, energizing the sellout crowd with a midrange jumper and a three-pointer midway through the fourth quarter.

“He was ‘Dennis the Menace’ tonight,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “The guy has played in a lot of big games, and this type of game fits him.”

Atkinson also credited his team’s physicality down the stretch.

“I said before the game, it’s going to come down to, ‘Are we going to win the scrums? Are we going to get the tough rebounds?’ We did that tonight,” he said.

Evan Mobley finished with 23 points and nine rebounds, while Donovan Mitchell added 19 points for Cleveland. Harden also contributed nine rebounds, five assists, and six turnovers while playing a series-high 39:45 minutes.

Schroder credited the team’s overall execution for the comeback.

“It was a team effort, and everybody stuck with it,” Schroder said. “On offense, everyone was touching the ball and making the right decisions.”

Mitchell said the Cavaliers responded to the challenge.

“This is a test, the same test we’ve talked about all season, and we passed it tonight,” Mitchell said. “We’ve got to protect home court, then go get one on the road.”

RJ Barrett led Toronto with 25 points, while Ja’Kobe Walter added a career playoff-high 20 points, hitting 6 of 14 from three-point range. Jamal Shead scored 18 points off the bench, and Scottie Barnes finished with 17 points and 11 assists.

Toronto also lost forward Brandon Ingram to a right heel injury in the second quarter. He did not return, leaving the Raptors without two starters, as Immanuel Quickley is already out for the series with a right hamstring strain.

Despite the setback, Toronto’s guards Walter and Shead combined for 10 made three-pointers after going 0-for-17 from deep in the previous two games.

Mobley and Schroder helped Cleveland build momentum early in the fourth, combining for key baskets during a 13-0 run that put the Cavaliers ahead 108-103. Toronto then went scoreless for more than four minutes, missing 10 consecutive shots before Barrett ended the drought with a free throw with 7:55 remaining.

“Dennis played well for them in the second half,” Barnes said. “He gave them that spark. That was the difference-maker.”

Toronto briefly controlled the third quarter, with Barrett opening the half strong as the Raptors matched their largest lead at 79-67. However, Cleveland chipped away behind Mitchell’s scoring burst, cutting the deficit to 103-100 after a Barnes-Harden jump-ball sequence.

Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic acknowledged Cleveland’s depth and late-game execution.

“It came down to a couple of shots they made,” Rajakovic said. “They had players step up in the second half. That’s the beauty of the playoffs. They’re a deep team. We can’t take possessions off and not guard Schroder or Strus or Sam Merrill.”

Toronto shot 64.4% in the first half and led 74-67 at the break, powered by Barnes’ eight points in the opening quarter as the Raptors jumped out to a 22-10 lead. Harden scored 19 first-half points but also committed four turnovers.

Cleveland eventually responded, closing the first quarter on a run to take a 38-34 lead after Mitchell’s buzzer-beating 38-foot shot.

The Cavaliers now return to Toronto looking to finish the series and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. -Field Level Media/Reuters