Cleveland Cavaliers vs Toronto Raptors Prediction 5/1/2026 Today’s NBA Picks

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors duke it out in Game 6 of the 1st Round at the Scotiabank Arena on Friday night. Here’s a Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors Prediction. This article will include a Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors Pick.

Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview

The Cleveland Cavaliers were desperate to reclaim the series lead after dropping the last two games and they were able to achieve that with a crucial 125-120 home win in Game 5 on Wednesday. James Harden and Evan Mobley led the team in scoring with 23 points each while Donovan Mitchell and Dennis Schroder each scored 19 points but no other players finished in double figures in scoring.

As a team, the Cavaliers shot 53 percent from the field and an efficient 18 of 36 from the 3-point line as they squandered an early lead and trailed for the entire third quarter before they clamped down defensively and restricted the Raptors to just 17 points in the fourth quarter to escape with the crucial win. Mitchell had a quiet game as the Cavaliers decided to go with the hot hand of Schroder, who sparked the late rally with Mobley.

Toronto Raptors Betting Preview

Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors will be kicking themselves after missing out on a crucial chance to take the series lead in Game 5 on Wednesday. RJ Barrett led the team with 25 points, 12 rebounds and five assists; Ja’Kobe Walter added 20 points; Jamal Shead scored 18 points with seven assists off the bench, while Scottie Barnes tallied 17 points with eight rebounds and 11 assists.

As a team, the Raptors shot 46 percent from the field and 15 of 38 from the 3-point line as they exploded for 40 points in the second quarter to seemingly take control of the contest, but they couldn’t maintain that pace and were scoreless during a 5:10 stretch starting late in the third quarter to allow the Cavaliers off the hook in the end. 

Why the Toronto Raptors will win

• The home team has won each of the Cavaliers’ last eight games.
• The Cavaliers have lost each of their last three playoff games as road favorites.
• The Raptors have covered the spread in each of their last seven games at Scotiabank Arena against teams that held a winning record.
• The Cavaliers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last seven road games against Eastern Conference opponents.

Why the Cleveland Cavaliers will win

• The Cavaliers have won seven of their last eight night games against Atlantic Division opponents.
• The Raptors have lost 16 of their last 18 Friday games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a winning record.
• The Cavaliers have covered the spread in four of their last five Eastern Conference First Round games following a win.

Total Points Facts

• Each of the Cavaliers’ last seven Friday games as road favorites have gone OVER the total points line.
• Each of the Raptors’ last four games as home underdogs following a road loss have gone OVER the total points line.

Toronto Raptors Player Facts

• Ja’Kobe Walter ranks 19th amongst qualified players for 3P% (40.9%) this season.
• RJ Barrett leads all Raptors players for points per 36 minutes (22.9) this season.

Cleveland Cavaliers Player Facts

• Evan Mobley ranks 4th amongst qualified players for blocks per game (1.7) this season.
• Donovan Mitchell is one of only four players in the league to have made 7+ threes in consecutive games this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Raptors rank 1st for fast break points per game (18.9) this season.
• The Raptors rank 2nd in the league for opponent assists per game this season (24.5).
• The Cavaliers rank 1st in the league for Q4 win percentage this season (62.2%).
• The Cavaliers are one of only two teams to win 12+ games when trailing after Q3 this season.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Toronto Raptors Prediction

The Cavaliers are coming into this contest with a full squad once again, while the Raptors have ruled out Immanuel Quickley again, with Brandon Ingram listed as a game-time decision. The Cavaliers haven’t been at their best in this series but they’ve been good enough to win all three home games to take a 3-2 series lead heading back to Toronto.

The Raptors will be annoyed that they couldn’t capitalize on their chances in Game 5, but they’ve won both their home games so far and I think they can keep the series alive with another win here, assuming that Ingram is available for this game. Be sure to check the lineups before tipoff, but something tells me that we are headed for a series decider after this game.

Peter Tran's Pick: Toronto +4.5