The Toronto Raptors are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022, and you can follow the action on Sportsnet.
Canada’s basketball team will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs in a No. 4-seed versus No. 5-seed matchup.
First-round action begins on Saturday, and fans can watch Game 1 between Toronto and Cleveland on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet+ starting at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT. Game 3 will also be on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet+ starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. Games 5 and 7 would also be on Sportsnet.
It’ll be the fourth series all-time — and fourth since 2016 — between the Eastern Conference rivals. The Raptors will hope to change their fortunes against the Cavaliers, however, as Toronto enters the series with a 2-12 playoff record against Cleveland all-time, including back-to-back sweeps in 2017 and ‘18.
Thankfully, there’ll be no LeBron James to deal with this time around, but there will be James Harden, who the Raptors faced when they last made the playoffs four years ago, losing to the Philadelphia 76ers, also in a four-five matchup.
This go around, it’ll be a battle between Toronto’s No. 5-ranked defence and Cleveland’s No. 6 offence.
The full schedule for the Raptors vs. Cavaliers first-round series is below:
Game 1: Saturday, April 18 at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Game 2: Monday, April 20 at Cleveland, 7 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, April 23 at Toronto, 8 p.m.
Game 4: Sunday, April 26 at Toronto, 1 p.m.
* Game 5:Wednesday, April 29 at Cleveland, time TBD
* Game 6: Friday, May 1 at Toronto, time TBD
* Game 7: Sunday, May 3 at Cleveland, time TBD
* if necessary
All Times Eastern
