Jarrett AllenPlayer·Jarrett Allen imposed his will in the paint, erupting for 22 points and a playoff career-high 19 rebounds as the Cleveland CavaliersTeam·Cleveland Cavaliers dispatched the Toronto RaptorsTeam·Toronto Raptors 114-102 in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on May 3, 2026, at Rocket ArenaVenue·Rocket Arena.
The fourth-seeded Cavaliers (52-30 regular season) overcame an early deficit to win the best-of-seven matchup 4-3, eliminating the fifth-seeded Raptors (46-36) in the opening round. Allen's dominance—paired with three blocks, two assists, and two steals in 33 minutes—proved decisive, marking his best outing of the playoffs and anchoring Cleveland's paint presence against Toronto's physical frontcourt.
Toronto seized control early, building a 10-point lead midway through the second quarter behind Scottie BarnesPlayer·Scottie Barnes' all-around brilliance (24 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists) and RJ BarrettPlayer·RJ Barrett's sharp scoring (23 points). The Raptors held firm until halftime loomed, but Cleveland flipped the script with an 11-2 closing run, knotting the score at 49-all. James HardenPlayer·James Harden, Max StrusPlayer·Max Strus, and Jaylon TysonPlayer·Jaylon Tyson heated up from deep, providing the perimeter spark to complement Allen's interior work.
Allen took over for good in the third quarter, dictating tempo with relentless rim pressure and rebounding that stifled Toronto's second-chance opportunities. Donovan MitchellPlayer·Donovan Mitchell complemented the big man's efforts with timely scoring, helping Cleveland pull away in a thriller that never quite reached overtime but carried Game 7 tension throughout. The Cavaliers' improved second-quarter execution proved pivotal.
"Sam (Merrill) said this whole series, we haven't closed out the second quarter. We all took that to heart. We all looked at ourselves and decided that now was the time to do it."— Jarrett Allen.
Post-whistle tension flared as the teams exchanged words, with Allen motioning for the Raptors to head home, capping a gritty elimination battle. Toronto's fightback fell short despite Barnes and Barrett's heroics, ending their season in the first round for the second straight year.
Cleveland now shifts focus to the Eastern Conference semifinalsCompetition·Eastern Conference Semifinals against the top-seeded Detroit PistonsTeam·Detroit Pistons (60-22), who await at Little Caesars ArenaVenue·Little Caesars Arena. Game 1 tips off May 5 at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Cavaliers, buoyed by Allen's emergence—nicknamed "Dr. JA" by local analysts—enter as underdogs but with momentum from their comeback series win. For Toronto, questions linger on sustaining regular-season form into the postseason.
Scottie Barnes (4) drives to the basket defended by Jarrett Allen (31) during the Cavs-Raptors playoff. ZUMA Press/IMAGO
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