{"id":323124,"date":"2026-04-23T04:39:39","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T23:09:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=323124"},"modified":"2026-04-23T04:39:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T23:09:40","slug":"raptors-aim-to-use-hard-lessons-down-0-2-vs-cavs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/23\/raptors-aim-to-use-hard-lessons-down-0-2-vs-cavs\/","title":{"rendered":"Raptors aim to use hard lessons down 0-2 vs Cavs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>TORONTO \u2013 Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic called the primary two games of his team\u2019s first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers a learning experience.<\/p>\n<p>If the Raptors wish to overcome the 0-2 deficit and fight back within the best-of-seven series, which resumes Thursday for Game 3 at Scotiabank Arena, they\u2019ll have to apply those lessons quickly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExpecting us to be perfect at once wouldn&#8217;t be fair toward our team and the young core that we&#8217;ve,\u201d said Rajakovic. \u201cBut once you take a look at the large picture, how essential those are, and what are we learning through this? I\u2019m telling you, our team is so a lot better now than seven days ago. We already got so a lot better. We\u2019re going to proceed convalescing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Raptors dropped a lopsided 126-113 decision in Game 1 in Cleveland. Game 2 was tighter, but Toronto still lost 115-105 on Monday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad--bigbox l-article__ad c-ad--tallSticky\">\n<p>Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Because the series shifts to Toronto for the following two games, the Raptors face a steep climb to achieve the second round for the primary time since 2020. But they continue to be confident of their ability to reply at home.<\/p>\n<div class=\"l-article__part\" data-shortcode=\"related_videos\">\n<div class=\"l-inlineStories l-inlineStories--video\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"l-inlineStories__title\">Related Videos<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<section id=\"miniplayer-carousel\" class=\"l-videoCarousel l-videoCarousel--embed c-carousel\" data-video-carousel-play-inline=\"true\" data-video-carousel-init=\"false\" aria-label=\"Video carousel contains 10 videos.\">\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__inner\">\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__featured\">\n<div class=\"c-video c-videoPlay \" data-iframe-receiver=\"\" data-autoplay=\"\" data-displayinline-featured=\"true\" data-displayinline-type=\"video\" data-displayinline-player-id=\"miniplayer\" data-displayinline-video-id=\"11811263\" data-displayinline-ratio=\"16:9\" data-displayinline=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/video\/embed\/playlist\/11811263,11806034,11736470,11520120,11519608,11499192,11272226,11267415,11265148,11264380\/?poster=https%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Fmedia.globalnews.ca%2Fvideostatic%2Fnews%2Fc81zdt175v-wa86ob7xwu%2FRAPTORSGAME2LEXYSTILL.jpg%3Fw%3D1200%26quality%3D70%26strip%3Dall#autoplay&#038;stickyiframe=miniplayer\" data-displayinline-playlist=\"11811263,11806034,11736470,11520120,11519608,11499192,11272226,11267415,11265148,11264380\" data-displayinline-sticky=\"true\" data-permutive-data='{\"content\":{\"name\":\"Raptors fans at Jurassic Park react to Game 2 loss against Cavaliers\",\"type\":\"video\",\"sections\":[\"videos\",\"toronto\",\"sports\",\"trending\"],\"keywords\":[\"cleveland-cavaliers\",\"global-news\",\"jurassic-park\",\"nba-playoffs\",\"scotiabank-arena\",\"short-clip\",\"toronto-raptors\"],\"iab\":{\"categories\":[\"Sports\/Team Sports\/Basketball\",\"News\",\"Sports\",\"News\/Sports News\",\"Sports\/Team Sports\"],\"tags\":[\"Arena\",\"Ball\",\"Basketball\",\"Brandon Ingram\",\"Cleveland\",\"Cleveland Cavaliers\",\"Darko Rajakoviu0107\",\"Donovan Mitchell\",\"Experience\",\"Hamstring\",\"Immanuel Quickley\",\"Jamal Shead\",\"Jurassic\",\"Jurassic Park\",\"Learning\",\"National Basketball Association\",\"OVO Athletic Centre\",\"Playoffs\",\"Point guard\",\"Sandro Mamukelashvili\",\"Scotiabank\",\"Scotiabank Arena\",\"Toronto\",\"Toronto Raptors\"]}}}'>\n<div class=\"c-video__inner \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__placeholder\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-video__image\" alt=\"Click to play video: 'Raptors fans at Jurassic Park react to Game 2 loss against Cavaliers'\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/media.globalnews.ca\/videostatic\/news\/c81zdt175v-wa86ob7xwu\/RAPTORSGAME2LEXYSTILL.jpg?w=1040&#038;quality=70&#038;strip=all\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"auto, \" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 1040px) 1040px,(min-width: 720px) 720px,450px\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__overlay\"><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time class=\"c-video__duration\">1:38<\/time><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"c-video__title\">Raptors fans at Jurassic Park react to Game 2 loss against Cavaliers<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"l-videoCarousel__glide glide \">\n<div class=\"glide__arrows c-carousel__buttons l-videoCarousel__buttons\" data-glide-el=\"controls\">\n\t<button class=\"glide__arrow glide__arrow--left c-carousel__button c-carousel__prev l-videoCarousel__button l-videoCarousel__prev c-longform-gallery__prev\" data-glide-dir=\"<\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\">Previous Video<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<button class=\"glide__arrow glide__arrow--right c-carousel__button c-carousel__next l-videoCarousel__button l-videoCarousel__next c-longform-gallery__next\" data-glide-dir=\">&#8220;><\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"sr-only\">Next Video<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"c-carousel__goto\" data-glide-dir=\"=0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><\/button>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t<!-- video stream item --><\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cI believe that the (Game 2) effort was higher. We got some answers. We got some adjustments. We got more adjustments coming,\u201d Rajakovic said on Wednesday after practice at Toronto\u2019s OVO Athletic Centre. \u201cThat\u2019s the fantastic thing about the playoff series. We\u2019re excited to come back home, play in front of our fans, get the Jurassic Park going outside of the sector and fight back.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup\" data-newsletter-inline=\"\">\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup__image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"170\" height=\"225\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/shaw-globalnews\/images\/skyline\/national.jpg\" alt=\"Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story.\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-inlineSignup__content\">\n<h2 class=\"c-inlineSignup__title\">Get breaking National news<\/h2>\n<p>Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox because it happens so you will not miss a trending story.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>One area the Raptors want to clean up is turnovers, which have been a difficulty through the primary two games. The Raptors turned the ball over 17 times in Game 1 in comparison with 15 for Cleveland. In Game 2, Toronto recorded 22 turnovers to Cleveland\u2019s 12.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad--bigbox l-article__ad c-ad--tallSticky\">\n<p>Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cI believe (Game 2) was really decided with our 22 turnovers that led to 22 points,\u201d said Rajakovic. \u201cThat\u2019s something that you just cannot live with within the playoffs and expect to win. And that\u2019s a giant area of emphasis for us, learn how to recuperate through that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If the Raptors wish to pull even within the series, they\u2019ll also need more from All-Star Brandon Ingram, who had just seven points on 3-for-15 field-goal attempts in Game 2.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m confident I won\u2019t miss all my shots and discover a rhythm,\u201d Ingram said. \u201cBut I\u2019m also confident in our team. I don\u2019t want to take a seat here and make this all about what I\u2019m doing.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-tabs\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t<button role=\"tab\" class=\"c-tabs__tab c-tabs__tab--active\" type=\"button\">More on Sports<\/button><br \/>\n\t\t\t<button role=\"tab\" class=\"c-tabs__tab\" type=\"button\">More videos<\/button>\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Rajakovic said Immanuel Quickley, the Raptors\u2019 place to begin guard who has missed the primary two games of the series with a strained right hamstring, continues to progress in his recovery. It will not be yet clear if he\u2019ll suit up for Game 3.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLiterally each day, he\u2019s feeling higher, he\u2019s moving higher, he\u2019s running higher. He\u2019s going through that technique of return to play,\u201d Rajakovic said. \u201cHe\u2019s on the court at once getting extra work, so we\u2019ll see where he\u2019s at tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Second-year guard Jamal Shead began in Quickley\u2019s place in Games 1 and a pair of.<\/p>\n<p>Because the Raptors look to use lessons from the primary two games in Game 3, they\u2019re counting on the Scotiabank Arena crowd to assist turn the series.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad--bigbox l-article__ad c-ad--tallSticky\">\n<p>Story continues below commercial<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cWe had 41 games at home, and (the fans) showed out each time, they were super energetic,\u201d said Raptors forward Sandro Mamukelashvili. \u201cThey were at all times very involved. They care, and I believe it\u2019s an awesome atmosphere at home. I saw the way it was in Cleveland. I believe our fans are higher than Cleveland fans, so that they just got to come back on the market and provides us the additional boost we&#8217;d like.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2026.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n\t\t&#038;copy 2026 The Canadian Press\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TORONTO \u2013 Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic called the primary two games of his team\u2019s first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers a learning experience. If the Raptors wish to overcome the 0-2 deficit and fight back within the best-of-seven series, which resumes Thursday for Game 3 at Scotiabank Arena, they\u2019ll have to apply [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":323125,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[461,9359,29310,4108,5848,3491],"class_list":["post-323124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-aim","tag-apply","tag-cavs","tag-hard","tag-lessons","tag-raptors"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/323124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=323124"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/323124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":323127,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/323124\/revisions\/323127"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/323125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=323124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=323124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=323124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}