Cavaliers-Raptors takeaways: Toronto takes Game 3 with aggressive attack, but Brandon Ingram still in a funk

The Toronto Raptors are on the board, scoring a bounce-back 126-104 win in Game 3 at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who now lead the seven-game series 2-1.

Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett scored 33 points apiece, while rookie Collin Murray-Boyles chipped in 22 points off the bench. The game was tied at halftime, but the Raptors used a dominant fourth quarter to seal the victory.

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Let’s get to some takeaways.

Raptors rediscover their identity …

Given that both Cleveland and Toronto were among the best teams in creating extra possessions, Game 3 would ultimately come down to which group gave itself more of an advantage. The Raptors, a top-10 defense, rediscovered their identity: ball pressure.

Credit to head coach Darko Rajaković, who threw a wrench midway through the first quarter, inserting Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles into the lineup, and shifting to small ball with Murray-Boyles deputizing at center.

Toronto found avenues to switch assignments with ease, using Shead and Barrett to pressure the ball, Barnes to cover as much ground as possible and a host of others to be fully engaged in their individual roles. It also helped that Shead and Murray-Boyles, who aren’t particularly good shooters, were kept on the move in order to keep themselves offensively viable.

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The Cavaliers, one of the most positive ball-security teams in basketball during the regular season, coughed up the ball nine times in the opening frame, setting the tone for an aggressive Raptors defense that forced 20 turnovers, and limited the opposition to 44% from the field and 31% from 3-point range.

… but Brandon Ingram is still missing in action

Ingram, who finished with just 12 points in 29 minutes, continues to struggle to carve out a go-to role in this series — which pales in comparison to teammate Barnes, who stepped up as a leader on both ends of the floor with 33 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds in Game 3.

One of the underlying storylines from the Raptors’ 46-win season has been the dichotomy of Ingram’s unique skillset meshed with what Rajaković is attempting to install in the half-court. Whether…

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Author : Kelly Iko

Publish date : 2026-04-24 03:00:00

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