Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game 2 Preview, Picks & Odds for Monday, April 20, 2026

By Braxton Reynolds | Apr 19, 2026, 7:43pm

Game 2 between the Toronto Raptors (0-1) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1-0) is scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern on NBC Sports. Cleveland won the opening battle by 13 points. Can the Raptors bounce back and steal a game on the road?

Raptors vs. Cavaliers Betting Analysis

The Cavs dominated the paint in Game 1. They won the offensive rebound battle and generated a massive 31 shots inside the restricted area compared to only 19 for the Raptors. A big reason behind Cleveland’s success was James Harden’s playmaking – he consistently set up great looks for Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

Donovan Mitchell was also electric to the tune of 32 points on 11-of-20 shooting from the field. Toronto’s perimeter defender simply could not stay in front of him.

On the other hand, Brandon Ingram only logged one field goal attempt and scored four points in the second half. When asked about this during his post-game interview, Ingram said the following: “Coach wanted to use me as a screener. He noticed that my man wasn’t coming off of me, so he wanted me outside of the action a little bit and being a receiver. At the end of the day, me shooting nine shots is not going to win basketball games.” Ingram may have a point, but it’s concerning to see it publicly aired out after only one game.

Immanuel Quickley’s absence was felt, as Toronto committed 17 turnovers and could have used his ball handling and playmaking. He’s questionable for Game 2.

The best bet is taking James Harden to record at least eight assists. He notched 10 assists in Game 1 and torched Toronto in high ball screens because his precision passes often left Jakob Poeltl stranded in no man’s land in between Harden and the roller. Look for him to once again be a tablesetter on pick-and-rolls, especially if Mitchell is on the court. Cleveland also has so many offensive weapons that Harden’s chances of converting potential assists into actual assists are high.

Raptors vs. Cavaliers Best Bet, Pick & Prediction

Best Bet: James Harden O7.5 Assists (+105)
Score Prediction: Cavaliers 119, Raptors 111

Raptors vs. Cavaliers Game Odds

Raptors vs. Cavaliers Game Information

Date: Monday, April 20, 2026
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Network: Peacock
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Venue: Rocket Arena – 233.9 ppg; 18-24 O/U
Series Score: Cavaliers 1-0

Raptors vs. Cavaliers Betting Resources

Raptors vs. Cavaliers Key Players

Raptors

Scottie Barnes – Last Game: 21 points, 1 rebound, 7 assists
Brandon Ingram – Last Game: 17 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists
RJ Barrett – Last Game: 24 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists

Cavaliers

Donovan Mitchell – Last Game: 32 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists
James Harden – Last Game: 22 points, 2 rebounds, 10 assists
Evan Mobley – Last Game: 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists

Braxton Reynolds

Braxton has been covering the NBA for Lineups since the 2022 season. He's worked with multiple collegiate coaching staffs regarding analytics and scouting, which has allowed him to understand the game on a deeper level. Braxton also currently writes about the Oklahoma City Thunder for Thunder Roundtable.