Toronto heads to Cleveland for Game 1 with two teams that took different routes to the same spot: the Raptors leaned on defense (112.1 defensive rating), while the Cavaliers generated points efficiently all season (118.3 offensive rating).
Cleveland opens as a solid favorite at home, laying 7.5 with a heavy moneyline price. The total is sitting in the low 200s, which is notable given Toronto’s strong season-long Under profile.
Odds as of 9:34 a.m. ET on April 13, 2026.
Odds & Game Info
| Market | Toronto Raptors | Cleveland Cavaliers |
|---|---|---|
| Game Info | April 18, 2026 — 1:00 PM ET — Rocket Arena (Cleveland, OH) | |
| Spread | +7.5 (-115) | -7.5 (-105) |
| Moneyline | +235 | -290 |
| Total | 217.5 (Over -115 / Under -105) | |
Team Overview
| Team | Record | Home/Road | Last 10 | ATS | O/U | ORtg | DRtg | Pace | Key Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Raptors | 46-36 | 22-19 away | 6-4 | 42-40 | 32-50 | 115.0 | 112.1 | 99.2 | Immanuel Quickley (GTD, hamstring); Chucky Hepburn (Out, knee) |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 52-30 | 27-14 home | 7-3 | 33-49 | 40-42 | 118.3 | 114.1 | 100.7 | Dean Wade (Out, ankle); Dennis Schroder (Out, rest); Keon Ellis (Out, knee); Thomas Bryant (Out, calf); Sam Merrill (Out, hamstring) |
Team Recaps
Toronto Raptors
Toronto finished 46-36 and played slightly better defense than offense on the efficiency side, pairing a 112.1 defensive rating with a 115.0 offensive rating. The pace is slow (99.2, 22nd), which matters in a playoff setting where possessions tend to tighten.
From a results standpoint, the Raptors were 22-19 on the road and enter off a 6-4 last-10 stretch. They scored 114.6 points per game and allowed 111.8 (plus-2.8 point differential), a profile that fits their 32-50 Over/Under record (a heavy lean to the Under).
Injury-wise, the swing piece is Immanuel Quickley listed game-time decision (hamstring). If he’s limited, Toronto’s ball security and halfcourt creation take a hit against a Cleveland team that can score in bunches.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland posted a 52-30 record with a strong 27-14 mark at home. The scoring profile is loud: 119.5 points per game with 115.4 allowed (plus-4.1 point differential), supported by a 118.3 offensive rating (6th).
The Cavaliers don’t play at breakneck speed (100.7 pace, 13th), but their shot-making efficiency is elite (56.1% effective FG rate, 4th). That’s the biggest reason they can cover ground quickly even if this game slows down.
The caution flag for bettors: Cleveland’s season-long ATS results were rough (33-49 ATS), including a 24-42 ATS mark when favored. If you’re backing the Cavs, you’re basically betting that playoff urgency and home court outweigh a full season of spread burn.
Matchup Keys
- Efficiency clash: Cleveland’s offense (118.3 ORtg) vs Toronto’s defense (112.1 DRtg, 6th) is the defining tug-of-war for both the side and the total.
- Possession count: Toronto plays slow (99.2 pace, 22nd). Fewer possessions makes +7.5 more valuable and makes it harder for the game to fly past 217.5 without hot shooting.
- Ball pressure vs ball security: Toronto forces turnovers at a top-tier rate (16.1% forced TOV, 4th), while Cleveland is a low-turnover offense (13.8% TOV, 9th). Whoever wins that battle gets extra shots without needing to beat the defense.
- Shot quality: Cleveland’s eFG% (56.1%, 4th) meets a Toronto defense that holds opponents to a 54.0% eFG (9th). If the Cavs get to their clean looks early, the spread gets uncomfortable fast.
Betting Trends
- Toronto is 42-40 ATS overall.
- Cleveland is 33-49 ATS overall.
- Cleveland is 24-42 ATS as a favorite.
- Toronto is 17-16 ATS as an underdog.
- Toronto games went Under at a high clip: 32-50 to the Over (50 Unders in 82 games).
- Toronto is 14-27 O/U on the road (34.15% of road games went Over).
- Cleveland is 17-24 O/U at home (home games lean Under).
- Toronto is a slower-paced team (99.2, 22nd), a structural lean toward lower totals if the game stays in the halfcourt.
Best Bet
Under 217.5 (-105) for 3 units.
Toronto’s season-long total results point strongly to lower-scoring outcomes (50 Unders), and their road O/U split is even more Under-skewed (14-27). Add in their slow pace (99.2) and a top-6 defensive rating, and you have a profile that can drag a Game 1 into a possession-by-possession grind. Cleveland can absolutely score, but they also played more Unders at home (17-24 O/U), which keeps 217.5 in play even if the Cavs control the game.
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