Kenny Atkinson knows that the Cleveland Cavaliers will be tested in their playoff matchup against the Toronto Raptors.
After all 82 games have been played, the No. 4-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers have been matched up with the No. 5-seeded Toronto Raptors in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
The Cavaliers didn’t find out who their opponent would be until after Sunday’s win over the Washington Wizards, and during the head coach, Kenny Atkinson
“Listen, Toronto, we know that's no picnic,” explained Atkinson. “They low-key dominated us for the games we played them this year. So we just, um, have a lot of respect [for them]... Great challenge, really good team.”
Cleveland’s head coach is spot on. The Cavaliers lost all three regular-season matchups against the Raptors, and they weren’t entirely close either.
In those games, the Raptors averaged 116 points and shot 51 percent from the floor and 36 percent from behind the arc against Cleveland’s defense. On the other hand, the Cavaliers only scored an average of 104.3 points against Toronto.
Plus, the Raptors won the rebounding matchup and the so-ever-important possession battle, too.
Apr 12, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts after a play during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesAtkinson also pointed out that the Raptors are very good with their “transition defense, their speed, and then they turn you over. They're really good at that.”
Taking a close look at Toronto’s roster, one player who Cleveland’s head coach already has on his radar is Brandon Ingram, calling him a “high level player” and a “high level scorer.”
At the same time, Atkinson added, “they've done it as a group this year, so a lot of respect for what they've done. I think they deserve to be where they are.”
All of this is true, yes, but it’s also important to note that all three of Cleveland’s matchups with Toronto came within the first few weeks of the season. These two teams haven’t squared off since the end of November.
With that, this Cavaliers team is much different from the one they were four and a half months ago. Cleveland didn’t have James Harden, Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder, or even Max Strus because of injury, and that could work in Cleveland’s favor.
“I've said it post-trade deadline, we're a better team than we were pre-trade [deadline],” continued Atkinson.
“The front office did an amazing job adding the pieces we added. We are a better team, so therefore [that] gives us a better chance to improve on what we did last year and what we've done the last three years.”
At the end of the day, though, Atkinson knows, “This is gonna be a big challenge for us. That's what I think.”
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