Toronto opened as an 8.5-point underdog on the NBA odds. 

Cavaliers vs. Raptors NBA Betting Odds

Cleveland didn’t make any moves ahead of Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline, but why should it have? The current roster is pretty darn good as the Cavs are on a league-best eight-game winning streak and have climbed to second in the Eastern Conference. They won’t catch Boston for first and the Celtics might be the only East team I would bet to win a series against Cleveland right now. 

 “Sometimes you don’t want to mess with a good thing,” Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman said of not making a deal – adding the Cleveland players themselves felt they didn’t need an addition. 

The Cavs have one of the East’s best backcourts in Darius Garland and All-Star Donovan Mitchell and one of its best frontcourts in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Also one of the best Sixth Men in the NBA in Caris LeVert. They maybe could have upgraded at small forward ahead of the deadline but perhaps could add someone in the buyout market.

Saturday is the third and final meeting between these teams, and the winner will capture the season series as it is split 1-1 with the home team prevailing in both and both decided by three points. Cleveland leads the all-time series 55-51 but is 23-30 as the road team and has dropped the past four. 

Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland won its NBA-best eighth game in a row Thursday, 118-95 in Brooklyn to improve to an NBA-best 16-8 on the road and 16-1 in its past 17 games overall. The loss was by 10 in Milwaukee on Jan. 24, and the Cavs then beat the Bucks in the same gym by double digits two nights later. Cleveland is the only team in the league this season with two winning streaks of at least eight games and is four wins shy of matching its total road wins from last season. The Cavs have made at least 12 three-pointers in 18 straight games, the longest streak in franchise history. But this team largely wins with defence as it ranks second in allowing 109.3 points per game and has held opponents under 100 points 10 times, winning all of them. Donovan Mitchell should be getting a lot more MVP love than he is as Mitchell is averaging career highs in points (28.5 ppg), rebounds (5.5 rpg), assists (6.3 apg) and steals (1.88 spg). Centre Jarrett Allen has 18 double-doubles since Dec. 23, tying him for the third-most double-doubles in the NBA over that span. Canadian power forward Tristan Thompson remains out suspended for violating the league’s Anti-Drug Program, but he wasn’t playing much. 

Toronto Raptors

We projected a three-point Raptors home win vs. Houston on Friday and that’s what happened with the Dinos prevailing 107-104 – despite being outscored by 14 in the fourth quarter. Immanuel Quickley scored 25 points and RJ Barrett had 21. It was Barrett’s sixth straight game with at least 20, tying a career high. The Toronto native is averaging a team-best 23.0 points on 57.9 per cent shooting in that span. Jakob Poeltl had 16 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, three steals and a career high-tying six blocks. It was the second time in Poeltl’s career where he had a double-double and at least five blocks in the same game. Quickley has made at least one three-pointer in all 17 games with Toronto, the second-longest streak by a player beginning his Raptors career behind only Danny Green’s 20. 

NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Cavaliers vs. Raptors?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Cavaliers Team Leaders

CLE

Points	Donovan Mitchell 26.6
Assists	Darius Garland 6.54
Rebounds	Jarrett Allen 10.53
FG%	Jarrett Allen 63.4
Steals	Donovan Mitchell 1.84
Blocks	Evan Mobley 1.44

TOR

Points	RJ Barrett 21.75
Assists	Immanuel Quickley 6.76
Rebounds	Jakob Poeltl 8.58
FG%	Jakob Poeltl 65.6
Steals	Kobi Simmons 1.5
Blocks	Mouhamadou Gueye 1.64

CLE

Points	Donovan Mitchell 29.6
Assists	Darius Garland 5.75
Rebounds	Jarrett Allen 13.75
FG%	Jarrett Allen 67.6
Steals	Donovan Mitchell 1.3
Blocks	Evan Mobley 2.17

TOR

Points
Assists
Rebounds	Did not qualify
FG%
Steals
Blocks

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Raptors Team Leaders

CLE

Points	Donovan Mitchell 26.6
Assists	Darius Garland 6.54
Rebounds	Jarrett Allen 10.53
FG%	Jarrett Allen 63.4
Steals	Donovan Mitchell 1.84
Blocks	Evan Mobley 1.44

TOR

Points	RJ Barrett 21.75
Assists	Immanuel Quickley 6.76
Rebounds	Jakob Poeltl 8.58
FG%	Jakob Poeltl 65.6
Steals	Kobi Simmons 1.5
Blocks	Mouhamadou Gueye 1.64

CLE

Points	Donovan Mitchell 29.6
Assists	Darius Garland 5.75
Rebounds	Jarrett Allen 13.75
FG%	Jarrett Allen 67.6
Steals	Donovan Mitchell 1.3
Blocks	Evan Mobley 2.17

TOR

Points
Assists
Rebounds	Did not qualify
FG%
Steals
Blocks

Injuries

Cleveland

Caris LeVert (SG)

Out Wed Knee - 14 / 05 / 24

Jarrett Allen (C)

Out Wed Ribs - 30 / 04 / 24

Craig Porter Jr. (PG)

Out indefinitely Ankle - 27 / 04 / 24

Craig Porter Jr. (PG)

Out Sat Ankle - 14 / 04 / 24

Darius Garland (PG)

Prob Sat Back - 13 / 04 / 24

Caris LeVert (SG)

Prob Sat Knee - 13 / 04 / 24

Sam Merrill (PG)

Prob Sat Neck - 09 / 04 / 24

Isaac Okoro (SF)

Prob Sun Toe - 30 / 03 / 24

Caris LeVert (SG)

Prob Sun Wrist - 29 / 03 / 24

Craig Porter Jr. (PG)

Prob Sat Illness - 29 / 03 / 24

Toronto

RJ Barrett (SF)

Out Sun Knee - 14 / 04 / 24

Mouhamadou Gueye (PF)

Out Sun Thumb - 13 / 04 / 24

Immanuel Quickley (SG)

Out Sun Hip - 13 / 04 / 24

Gary Trent Jr. (SG)

Ques Fri Back - 10 / 04 / 24

RJ Barrett (SF)

Out Wed Rest - 10 / 04 / 24

Bruce Brown (PG)

Ques Fri Knee - 10 / 04 / 24

Jordan Nwora (PF)

Prob Wed Undisclosed - 10 / 04 / 24

Kelly Olynyk (PF)

Out Wed Rest - 10 / 04 / 24

Immanuel Quickley (SG)

Out Tues Rest - 08 / 04 / 24

Gradey Dick (SG)

Prob Wed Groin - 07 / 04 / 24

Injuries

Cleveland

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Caris LeVert (SG)	Out Wed	Knee - 14 / 05 / 24	1-0	1-0	+ -
LeVert is dealing with a left knee bone bruise, and he will not suit up against the Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Jarrett Allen (C)	Out Wed	Ribs - 30 / 04 / 24	3-5	4-4	+ -
Allen is dealing with a right rib contusion, and he will not battle the Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Craig Porter Jr. (PG)	Out indefinitely	Ankle - 27 / 04 / 24	3-6	5-4	+ -
Porter Jr. is out of action with a left ankle sprain, and he will miss an extended period.
Craig Porter Jr. (PG)	Out Sat	Ankle - 14 / 04 / 24	6-7	7-6	+ -
Porter Jr. is dealing with a left ankle sprain, and he will not be available against the Magic for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Darius Garland (PG)	Prob Sat	Back - 13 / 04 / 24	6-7	7-6	+ -
Garland is managing a back contusion, but it is predicted that he will play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the Magic.
Caris LeVert (SG)	Prob Sat	Knee - 13 / 04 / 24	6-7	7-6	+ -
LeVert is battling left knee soreness, but he is likely to lace up for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round against the Magic.
Sam Merrill (PG)	Prob Sat	Neck - 09 / 04 / 24	7-8	8-7	+ -
Merrill is limited due to whiplash, but he is expected to line up against the Magic in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Isaac Okoro (SF)	Prob Sun	Toe - 30 / 03 / 24	8-12	11-9	+ -
Okoro has been absent from the last four games due to right great toe sprain, but it is expected that he will be in Sunday's lineup versus the Clippers.
Caris LeVert (SG)	Prob Sun	Wrist - 29 / 03 / 24	8-13	12-9	+ -
LeVert was absent from the previous game due to right wrist soreness, but it is likely that he will suit up against the Nuggets on Sunday.
Craig Porter Jr. (PG)	Prob Sat	Illness - 29 / 03 / 24	8-13	12-9	+ -
Porter Jr. has sat out the last four contests with an illness, but he is expected to play against the Lakers on Saturday.

Toronto

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
RJ Barrett (SF)	Out Sun	Knee - 14 / 04 / 24	0-1	1-0	+ -
Barrett is bothered by knee soreness, and he will not battle the Heat on Sunday.
Mouhamadou Gueye (PF)	Out Sun	Thumb - 13 / 04 / 24	0-1	1-0	+ -
Gueye is hampered by a right thumb sprain, and he will not take on the Heat in Sunday's showdown.
Immanuel Quickley (SG)	Out Sun	Hip - 13 / 04 / 24	0-1	1-0	+ -
Quickley is laid up with a left adductor strain, and he will not participate in Sunday's tilt against the Heat.
Gary Trent Jr. (SG)	Ques Fri	Back - 10 / 04 / 24	1-2	2-1	+ -
Trent Jr. was held out of the last contest due to back spasms, and it is undetermined if he will take on the Heat on Friday.
RJ Barrett (SF)	Out Wed	Rest - 10 / 04 / 24	1-2	2-1	+ -
Barrett will not partake in Wednesday's showdown versus the Nets as he will be given a day of rest.
Bruce Brown (PG)	Ques Fri	Knee - 10 / 04 / 24	1-2	2-1	+ -
Brown sat out the previous game with right knee inflammation, and it is unknown if he will face the Heat on Friday.
Jordan Nwora (PF)	Prob Wed	Undisclosed - 10 / 04 / 24	1-2	2-1	+ -
Nwora exited the previous game with an undefined issue, but it is projected that he will dress for Wednesday's matchup with the Nets.
Kelly Olynyk (PF)	Out Wed	Rest - 10 / 04 / 24	1-2	2-1	+ -
Olynyk will not be available for Wednesday's clash with the Nets as he will receive a day of rest.
Immanuel Quickley (SG)	Out Tues	Rest - 08 / 04 / 24	2-2	3-1	+ -
Quickley will not be active for Tuesday's clash with the Pacers as he will be given a day of rest.
Gradey Dick (SG)	Prob Wed	Groin - 07 / 04 / 24	3-2	3-2	+ -
Dick missed the last game with a right groin contusion, but it is projected that he will line up against the Nets on Wednesday.