The Cavaliers had been battling with inconsistency as they try to work their way into the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Toronto meantime was tumbling down the standings losers of 7 straight and provided the Wine and Gold the perfect opportunity to find that consistency they’ve been lacking.
The Cavs however coughed the ball up early and often with 5 turnovers in the first 3 ½ minutes, thankfully the Raptors showed how they’d lost 7 straight going only 2-7 in that same timeframe. The Wine and Gold were able to clean things up and ride the 3 point shooting of Collin Sexton and Dean Wade as they finished a perfect first quarter behind the arc combing for 4-4 and matching 8 point efforts. Toronto however got just enough offense open up a 28-23 lead after the first.
In the second quarter, the Cavs were able to turn Toronto over and the Raptors helped out with more cold shooting as the Wine and Gold were able to take the 59-57 lead at the half. Sexton led the Cavaliers with 13 points while Wade chipped in 11 off the bench with a perfect 3-3 from long distance. Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman did the setting up in the first half as with 5 assists apiece.
Norm Powell was the high point man for Toronto with 14 points but also brought up a few talking points with Collin Sexton before the break as they had to be separated and given technical fouls.
The second half began with the Young Bull seeing red as Sexton attacked the Raptors (coincidently wearing their red jerseys) for 14 points in the quarter as the Cavs opened up a 16 point lead 91-75 heading into the 4th.
The sloppiness of the 1st quarter returned in the 4th as the Cavs only scored 8 points in the first 6 minutes of the final stand with the Raptors cutting it down to only a 5 point lead in the final seconds. Cavaliers were able to right the ship and hold on long enough for a 116-105 win over the Raptors. Collin Sexton finished with 36 points leading the Wine and Gold while Jarrett Allen tallied another double-double with 17 points and 15 boards. Dean Wade came off the bench for 16 while Darius Garland provided 15 points and 6 assists. The turnovers however were troublesome for the Cavs as they finished with 26 and 23 coming from the starting 5.
Wine and Gold with a back to back as the Sacramento Kings come to Cleveland Monday night, tip-off at 7:30 from Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.