Barnes carries Raptors to rout of Cavs in Game 3 - BERITAJA

TORONTO – Scottie Barnes had a double-double arsenic the Toronto Raptors routed the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-104 connected Thursday successful Game 3 of their first-round NBA playoff series.

Cleveland leads the best-of-seven bid 2-1.

Barnes scored a profession playoff precocious 33 points, including 13 successful the 3rd quarter, adding 11 assists and 5 rebounds successful a masterful capacity connected some ends of the court.

RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., besides deed a profession playoff precocious pinch 33 points, adding 5 rebounds and 5 assists. He went 6 for 8 from three-point range.

Backup centre Collin Murray-Boyles had 22 points, the about ever by a Raptors rookie successful a playoff game. He pulled down 8 boards.

James Harden led the Cavaliers pinch 18 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Reserve swingman Max Strus had 15 points connected 4 three-pointers and Evan Mobley had 15 points, 7 assists and six rebounds.

Game 4 is backmost astatine Scotiabank Arena connected Sunday afternoon.

Raptors constituent defender Immanuel Quickley was held retired for the 3rd consecutive crippled arsenic he recovers from a strained correct hamstring. Ja’Kobe Walter started successful his stead, getting 2 rebounds successful 26 minutes of play.

Barrett had 11 points successful the first quarter, making each 3 of his three-point attempts successful the period. Barnes added 10 arsenic Toronto held a 31-25 lead aft 12 minutes, moreover arsenic Walter and starting centre Jakob Poeltl were without immoderate points.

It was besides the first lead the Raptors had held successful the bid since Game 1’s first quarter.

Strus made a large quality for Cleveland successful the 2nd quarter, making 3 of 5 three-pointers and a full of 12 points arsenic the Cavaliers tied it 54-54 by intermission.

Toronto’s shooting cooled disconnected successful the 2nd quarter, going from 70.6 per cent connected field-goal attempts and making each 5 of its three-pointers successful the first 4th to 40.9 per cent connected section goals and 1 for 5 connected threes.

Barnes deed a 16-foot jumpshot arsenic clip expired successful the 3rd for an 83-81 lead. It was his 31st constituent of the game, having already surpassed his playoff precocious earlier successful the quarter.

It was Murray-Boyles’s period, however. He had six points, 3 rebounds, a artifact and a bargain successful a small complete six minutes of play time.

Barrett drilled a 23-foot three-pointer pinch 5:41 near successful the crippled to headdress a tidy 7-3 tally that put the Raptors up by 11, their biggest lead of the crippled to that point. Barrett skipped to centre court, flexing, arsenic Cleveland called a timeout to regroup.

The three-pointer gave Toronto a 96.8-per cent likelihood of winning the game.

The Cavaliers’ timeout didn’t slow the Raptors’ momentum, arsenic they reeled disconnected an 8-2 tally erstwhile play resumed for a 17-point lead.

Toronto didn’t look backmost aft that, guaranteeing the bid would spell astatine slightest 5 games.

This study by BERITAJA was first published April 23, 2026.