Cleveland, OH
Winners and Losers From Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Playoffs Game 1
A well-balanced effort and a huge second half from the Cleveland Cavaliers stars allowed them to dominate the Toronto Raptors 126-113 for the first playoff win of the year.
Here are the winners and losers of the first playoff game of the year for Cleveland.
Winners
Max Strus
Oh, did Max Strus miss over 65 games this year while dealing with injury he sustained in the offseason? You would have never noticed based on how he played in game one.
He was the difference maker off the bench in 24 minutes. He scored 24 points on 80% shooting. He was the clutch man at the end of the first half with four points in 30 seconds, then took over in the third by scoring eight straight.
Kenny Atkinson made a strong push to get Strus back in the rotation before playoffs and it’s showing why. He’ll be the X-factor all postseason long.
Cleveland’s starting bigs
The Cavaliers started the game looking to get Jarrett Allen touches inside the paint on the first four possessions of the game. He set the tone early by playing bully ball, throwing down a few hard dunks and showing Cleveland wanted to win the paint.
Allen cooled off but what he did early opened up the lanes for James Harden to drive in and create open shots on the perimeter. Then as Toronto tried to take that away, Evan Mobley took over in the paint.
Cleveland can win this series in the paint as the Raptors don’t have enough size to keep pace with this brand of basketball. Harden can unlock a new layer from bigs, it showed it the regular season and it’s showing now.
Mobley finished with 17 points and seven rebounds and Allen had 10 with seven boards.
The James Harden trade
Plenty of people doubted how effective Harden would be in the playoffs. He hasn’t had much success since he was a bench player for the Thunder.
This game was peak Harden. He got to be the playmaker instead of the scorer and it opened Cleveland’s offense up. As stated, the big got involved in a big way. The role players were able to find their shots.
He just freezes the game in a unique way. He knows when to throw a lob, when to pass out, when to shoot a floater and when to get creative.
Harden also helped Donovan Mitchell play an efficient game. Mitchell has always been able to score in the postseason, but often has had to sacrifice his efficiency. With Harden around Mitchell will know he is another star who can score when needed, but will focus on getting everyone else involved.
Harden finished with 22 points and 10 assists while Mitchell had 32 points. Meanwhile, the Clippers couldn’t make it out of the play-in and Los Angeles saw some of the frustration with Darius Garland’s inconsistency.
Losers
Jaylon Tyson
Cleveland found a role for 10 guys in this first game which was something they weren’t expected to do in the playoffs. Many expected Dennis Schroder or Keon Ellis to be the odd man out of the rotation.
Instead Tyson looked like someone playing in his first career playoff game, which is exactly what he is. In just 13 minutes he had four fouls. He shot 0/4, only hitting a pair of free throws. He turned the ball over once and really got his defense exposed at times.
Tyson’s role in the rotation could be in serious jeopardy. Ellis and Shroder didn’t have great days either, but both helped keep the offense smooth and played solid enough defense. Tyson should have some more opportunities to prove himself, but the leash gets shorter in the postseason.
Toronto’s guards without Quickley
Without Immanuel Quickley out there, the Cavaliers had a clear mismatch to exploit in the backcourt.
Now RJ Barrett and Jamal Shead still managed to put up some points, Barrett scored 24 and Shead scored 17, but neither got the offense going and neither could stop Mitchell and Harden on defense.
Barrett and Shead combined to dish out just five assists. Most of their passing had to come from the front court. That is a major weakness for Toronto right now.
Things got worse with Ja’Kobe Walter and AJ Lawson. Both guys struggled hard defensively and allowed Cleveland to bully with their stars.
If Quickley is out for the rest of the series, Cleveland will have plenty of chances to end this in four games.
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CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Heinen’s Grocery Store announced on Friday that it will be closing its downtown Cleveland location on the corner of East 9th Street and Euclid Avenue.
This last day will be on July 31.
The store first opened in 2015.
All associates at the downtown store will be offered roles at other Heinen’s locations, and there will be no layoffs, the release said. This decision affects only the Downtown Cleveland location.
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb shared the following statement after the announcement was released:
This is a developing story. Return to 19 News for updates.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
The Cleveland Cavaliers added another guard to their logjam at the position during the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday night.
Arkansas guard Maleek Thomas was one of the best players remaining on the board when the Cavaliers were on the clock at No. 34 overall, which they acquired from the Sacramento Kings in a trade back out of No. 29 overall on Tuesday night’s Round 1.
So Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman took Thomas off of the board, opting to select the best player available instead of drafting for fit, as Cleveland still has a dire need on the wing and backup center.
“When you’re picking at No. 34, you don’t have the luxury to say ‘let’s pick for fit,’” Altman said after the selection on Wednesday night.
It’s clear that the longtime basketball executive understands that Thomas doesn’t necessarily fit this current version of the Cavaliers. They’re expecting veteran point guard James Harden to return on a new contract. They also still employ Dennis Schroder, Tyrese Proctor and Craig Porter Jr., who just saw his contract option exercised by the Cavaliers.
Altman admitted that with so many guards to account for on the roster, the hard part will be figuring out how it all fits together.
Who is the odd man out?
It’s very possible that the reason why the Cavaliers traded out of No. 29 overall was due to financial reasons.
At No. 29, the Cavaliers really liked Thomas, and he probably would’ve been their selection. Even though he’s another small guard, he loves the game of basketball and comes from head coach John Calipari, which is as close to NBA coaching that you’ll find in the NBA.
But in Round 2, the Cavs could give Thomas a non-guaranteed two-way deal that would have the 19-year-old point guard split time between the Cavaliers and Cleveland’s G League affiliate Charge.
This makes life uncomfortable for Porter Jr., even though his option was just exercised. He’s on the final year of a deal, and could be included in a trade package as a sweetener. Of course, none of Cleveland’s guards aside from Harden should be untouchable in big trade packages that could help solve the team’s holes on the wing and in the frontcourt.
Schroder could be dealt as well because of his big salary.
Even though he doesn’t seamlessly fit, the Cavaliers found a way to get a first-round talent in Day 2 of the NBA Draft. It was a talented class and Thomas could be a gem.
But Altman needs to find a way to better construct this roster before the season comes around.
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CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The man wanted for the 2024 murder of a Northeast Ohio rapper in Cleveland, was arrested Thursday by members of the U.S. Marshals led Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force.
The U.S. Marshals said Steven Smith, 27, was taken into custody at a home in the 15900 block of Invermere Ave. in Cleveland.
Smith is accused of fatally shooting Carlos Banks, 28, on Dec. 29. 2024 inside an apartment at 5115 The Rising.
This is in the city’s Slavic Village neighborhood.
Cleveland EMS pronounced Banks dead at the scene.
Also known by stage name KashBankx, the 28-year-old had amassed thousands of social media followers with his rap career.
19 News previously spoke with community journalist Jaylyn King who says he’s interviewed Banks multiple times about his music career.
“Normally Cleveland has a set sound that’s really repetitive,’ said King. “He (Banks) was one that stood out and was very different than other artists”.
“This is big because he touched and influenced so many people,” said King “Even outside of music”.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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