Raptors vs. Cavaliers prediction: Cleveland to win, Donovan Mitchell projected for big game in Game 1 [2026 NBA Playoffs]

The Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the Toronto Raptors in Game 1of their 2026 NBA Playoffs series at Rocket Arena on Saturday, beginning at 1:00 PM ET.

Based on updated simulation results and today’s injury reports, Dimers' proven NBA model predicts the Cavaliers as the most likely winner of the Raptors vs. Cavaliers Game 1 matchup.

This prediction follows the latest NBA Injury Report, which suggests the Cavaliers lineup will feature stars like Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley, while the Raptors will be led by Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes.

This article offers further insights into Saturday's matchup, including an expanded look at the predicted score, best bets and player prop picks.

Raptors vs. Cavs prediction: Who will win Game 1?

Using innovative machine learning and statistical analysis, we have simulated the outcome of Saturday's NBA Playoffs game between the Raptors and Cavaliers, forming part of our NBA predictions coverage.

Our independent predictive model currently gives the Cavaliers a 74% chance of defeating the Raptors in Game 1 of the series. Our predicted final score has the Cavaliers winning 114-107.

According to our model, the Raptors (+8.5) have a 55% chance of covering the spread, while the over/under total of 221.5 points has a 51% chance of staying under.

Raptors vs. Cavaliers Game 1 odds

We have researched the best NBA odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Raptors vs. Cavaliers picks and best bet for Game 1

After matching our probabilities against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

According to our best NBA bets for Saturday, the top play to make on this game is Raptors +8.5 at the spread.

These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.

Raptors vs. Cavaliers Game 1 player props

Betting on Raptors vs. Cavaliers NBA prop bets? We use the best information available to project how each team's leading players will perform at Rocket Arena.

Brandon Ingram is expected to lead the Raptors with 23 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, while Donovan Mitchell is projected to have 28 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists for the Cavaliers.

Check out our NBA player projections for a full range of projected box scores, including points, assists, rebounds and today's NBA first basket picks.

Raptors prediction

Our model's projected player stats for the Raptors are:

Cavaliers prediction

Projected points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers made for the Cavaliers:

Raptors vs. Cavs Game 1 updates and essential details

Saturday's Game 1 between the Cavaliers and Raptors in the NBA Playoffs is scheduled to commence at 1:00 PM ET.

• Who: Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
• Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026
• Time: 1:00 PM ET/10:00AM PT
• Venue: Rocket Arena
• NBA Playoffs bracket: Updated NBA Playoffs bracket and schedule

The NBA Playoffs is an annual elimination tournament held to determine the league's champion.

Sixteen teams, including the Raptors and Cavaliers, made the NBA Playoffs 2026, which includes four rounds: the First Round, Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and NBA Finals.

Each round is played as a best-of-seven series, with the first team to four wins moving on to the next round until a champion is crowned.

Conclusion

We predict the Cavaliers, with a 74% win probability, will likely beat the Raptors in Saturday's NBA playoffs matchup.

Additional tools and information for betting safely can be found in our Responsible Gambling hub.