Raptors feel more confident despite Cavaliers taking 2-0 lead in playoff series

CLEVELAND – RJ Barrett pulled Brandon Ingram aside before the fourth quarter began and had a simple message for him: stay in it.

Barrett and Ingram’s Toronto Raptors were trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers by seven points heading into the final period of Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. Ingram, Toronto’s leading scorer in the regular season, only had four points in the game up until then and Barrett wanted him to know that the Raptors still believed in him, still needed him.

“He’s got us here, man. Like, the whole season, it’s been amazing for us. He’s been an all-star,” said Barrett post-game. “So I just told him to stay in it, keep his head in it, that we need him. 

“Because when I have my off nights, he’s right there to pick me up.”

Ingram said he appreciated Barrett’s support and that it’s an example of the togetherness that got Toronto to the playoffs for the first time in four years.

“It’s helpful. It shows how resilient we’ve been, how together that we’ve been,” said Ingram of Barrett’s pep talk. “I definitely don’t have any quit in me. I’m gonna keep going, try to figure it out. 

“To have my teammate have my back, especially in a moment when things aren’t going so well, it’s a blessing.”

Barrett, from Mississauga, Ont., had 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists as the Raptors failed to complete their comeback, falling to the Cavaliers 115-105 on Monday. Cleveland holds a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series as it moves to Toronto for Games 3 and 4.

Although it was not the result that the Raptors wanted, Barrett felt they played harder than in a lopsided 126-113 loss in Game 1 on Saturday.

“Played more Raptors basketball,” said Barrett. “We’ve just got to do it from the start of the game. It’s tough to get down and then try and fight our way back, especially against a team like this.

“We’ve got to go watch the film and see those moments where we play well, and what we were doing, and try to capitalize on that.”

Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 26 points, five assists and four rebounds. Ingram finished with just seven points on 3-for-15 field-goal attempts.

This came two days after he had only nine field-goal attempts and head coach Darko Rajakovic, Ingram, and all of the Raptors publicly said they had to get the all-star forward more involved.

“Brandon is a very important player for us. The ball did not go in tonight,” said Rajakovic. “We need him to continue being aggressive and shooting. 

“I’ve got absolute support for him. He’s going to make his shots.”

Rajakovic also noted that despite Cleveland playing very physical defence on Ingram, the referees never called a foul.

“It’s very interesting that he had zero free throws in this game,” said Rajakovic. “That’s kind of like, you know, very interesting. Seeing zero takes, zero makes. It’s interesting.”

Barrett was also asked about Ingram not getting any free throws. He took a long pause before replying.

“I don’t know,” said Barrett, who only got to make two free throws himself. “I don’t know what to say on that one without getting fined. So I ain’t gonna say nothing.”

Ingram was even more diplomatic.

“I’ll have to look back at film,” said Ingram as he iced his knees in the visitors locker room at Rocket Arena. “There are definitely some times when I don’t have to settle for the mid-range, that I feel I can get all the way to the rim. 

“I think Cleveland also did a good job of packing the paint a little bit. Every time somebody drove, (centres) Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen was there.”

Starting centre Jakob Poeltl was another issue for Toronto, managing two points and four rebounds. He only played 9:26, not touching the court at all in the second half.

Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles played most of Poeltl’s minutes, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, a block and a steal in nearly 26 minutes of play.

“Some of their lineups that they had out there with a lot of great shooters,” said Rajakovic of putting Murray-Boyles in over Poeltl. “We wanted to be able to switch more in pick-and-rolls and Collin was providing a better matchup there.”

Starting point guard Immanuel Quickley missed his second game of the series as he continues to recover from a strained right hamstring. Quickley averaged 16.4 points and a team-best 5.9 assists over 70 games this past season.

Second-year guard Jamal Shead started in Quickley’s place, scoring three points, dishing out four assists and pulling down three rebounds.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2026.