Darko Rajaković Makes History, Then Stumbles in Playoff Opener: Cleveland Dominates Toronto!

Darko Rajaković successfully led his Toronto Raptors to the playoffs this season, making history as the first European head coach of an NBA franchise to achieve this feat. However, his playoff debut didn't go as planned. The Cleveland Cavaliers decisively defeated Rajaković's Raptors on their home court with a score of 126-113, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.

The Raptors held their own throughout the first half, largely thanks to Brandon Ingram and Scott Barnes, putting up a decent fight against one of the Eastern Conference's most formidable teams. However, Cleveland's superior quality became evident in the second half.

The Cavaliers tightened their defense, effectively slowing down Toronto's offensive production, while on the other end of the court, Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Max Strus, and Evan Mobley unleashed their scoring prowess.

The Cavaliers delivered a crucial blow to Toronto in the third quarter, which they dominated 36-22. This, combined with their slim halftime lead, gave Cleveland a commanding 21-point advantage heading into the final period.

This effectively sealed the game, with the Cavaliers routinely closing it out in the fourth quarter.

Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 32 points, followed by Strus with 24. For Toronto, Barrett scored 24, and Barnes added 21.

The next game is scheduled for Monday night into Tuesday morning, also in Cleveland, before the series shifts to Canada.

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