Cavaliers, Raptors series even 2-2
- Toronto beat Cleveland 93-89 in Game 4 on Sunday, with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram scoring 23 points apiece to even the first-round series at 2-2. - The Raptors closed on a 17-5 run, and Barnes hit the go-ahead free throws in the final minute after Jamal Shead forced a late Cleveland turnover. - Cleveland’s 2-0 edge is gone before Game 5 on April 29 at Rocket Arena, with home court back in play. (nba.com)
Toronto erased Cleveland’s 2-0 lead Sunday, beating the Cavaliers 93-89 in Game 4 to tie the Eastern Conference first-round series at two games apiece. (espn.com) Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram scored 23 points each for Toronto, and Barnes made the go-ahead free throws in the final minute at Scotiabank Arena. (espn.com) The Raptors finished the game on a 17-5 run after trailing by five with about 2 1/2 minutes left, and Jamal Shead forced a key late turnover. (nba.com) Game 3 started the swing on April 23, when Toronto beat Cleveland 126-104 behind 33 points from Barnes and 33 more from RJ Barrett. (espn.com) That win ended Toronto’s 12-game playoff losing streak against Cleveland and cut a series deficit that had looked steep after the first two games in Ohio. (espn.com) Cleveland had opened the series with a 126-113 win on April 18 and a 115-105 win on April 20, taking a 2-0 lead back to Toronto. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) The matchup is now a best-of-three, with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, at Rocket Arena because Cleveland is the No. 4 seed and Toronto the No. 5 seed. (nba.com) NBA.com said Cleveland’s backcourt struggled in Toronto, with Donovan Mitchell shooting 13-for-39 and James Harden 11-for-27 over Games 3 and 4. (nba.com) Game 5 now sends the series back to Cleveland with the early script gone: two Cavaliers home wins, then two Raptors home wins, and no margin left for either side. (espn.com) (nba.com)
