The NBA playoffs officially got underway Saturday, however the Toronto Raptors didn’t get the beginning they were hoping for.
Toronto fell 126-113 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series, marking the team’s first playoff appearance in 4 years.
The playoffs follow the NBA’s play-in tournament, which ran from Tuesday to Friday and determined the ultimate two seeds in each conference.
Teams that lost within the play-in were eliminated, while winners advanced to the primary round.
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While the Raptors kept things close in the primary half Saturday, Cleveland pulled away within the second, constructing a 21-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes led Toronto’s offence, with Barrett scoring 24 points — essentially the most ever by a Canadian in a Raptors playoff debut.
For Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, while Max Strus added 24 off the bench in a playoff profession high. James Harden had 22 points and 10 assists, and Evan Mobley chipped in with 17 points and 7 rebounds.
Outside Scotiabank Arena, fans gathered in Jurassic Park, with many braving rainy conditions to look at the sport.
For a lot of, the playoff atmosphere brought back memories of 2019, when Toronto captured its first NBA championship.
Despite the Game 1 loss, fans said they continue to be confident the team can bounce back within the best-of-seven series.
Game 2 is about for Monday in Cleveland.
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