The hiccup was going to come, and it came with force.
After a couple of weeks of improved play and with a sense of optimism creeping in, the Raptors came thudding back to earth on an ugly night in Cleveland.
Beaten in every facet of the game, the Raptors were humbled 118-93 by the Cavaliers, just Toronto’s second loss in eight games and first in five.
The Cavs poured in three-pointers, beat the Raptors up and down in transition all game and were never threatened. Donovan Mitchell had 35 points and Cleveland was 18-for-36 from three-point range, while Jarrett Allen operated freely in the paint in a 23-point evening.