Cavaliers dominate Raptors in series opener

Cleveland broke the game open with a 27-9 scoring surge spanning the late second and early third quarters, effectively ending Toronto's hopes of an upset.

Max Strus provided a critical spark off the bench with 24 points, while the Cavaliers' defense stifled Toronto's young core.

Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 21 points, but the team's lack of playoff experience was evident during Cleveland's clinical scoring runs.

The Cavaliers now hold a 1-0 lead as they look to capitalize on their home-court advantage in the series.