Jamison Battle Went 5-for-5 in the Fourth Quarter and Toronto Just Took Control of This Series

The Toronto Raptors are done playing around. After dropping the first two games to Cleveland at home, Toronto absolutely dismantled the Cavaliers 126-104 in Game 3 on Thursday, and now they're heading into Sunday's Game 4 knowing they can steal this thing. The Cavaliers still hold a 2-1 series lead, but the way the Raptors came out in that fourth quarter? Yeah, Cleveland should be worried.

Battle's Fourth Quarter Was Absolutely Unreal

Reserve Jamison Battle didn't just show up in the fourth quarter, he completely took over. The guy scored all 14 of his points in that frame on a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor, including going 4-for-4 from downtown. Once he hit that first three, it was game over. Coach Darko Rajakovic knows what Battle brings to the table: "Ultimate professional, always keeping himself ready, puts an enormous amount of work in every single day."

This wasn't Battle's first time putting on a clinic against Cleveland either. Back on October 31 in Cleveland, he dropped 20 points on 7-for-7 shooting with six threes in Toronto's 112-101 win. The Cavaliers have seen this movie before, and they still couldn't stop it.

The Raptors' Supporting Cast Came Through in a Major Way

It wasn't just Battle carrying the load. Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett each put up career playoff highs with 33 points apiece. Off the bench, Collin Murray-Boyles added 22 points, setting Toronto's postseason record for a rookie. Meanwhile, the Raptors defense was smothering, recording 11 steals and forcing Cleveland into 22 turnovers that turned into 23 points on the other end.

Donovan Mitchell, who absolutely went off for 62 points in the first two games, was held to just 15 points. James Harden chipped in 18 but struggled with ball security, committing eight turnovers himself. "I've got to be better," Harden said. "We're just turning the basketball over, giving them easy points off transition opportunities."

One Big Problem for the Raptors Going Forward

Toronto got some bad news on Friday: Immanuel Quickley has been ruled out for the rest of the series. The starting point guard missed the first three games already due to a right hamstring injury and re-injured it during rehab. That's a real loss, but the way this team is playing right now, don't be shocked if they find a way to compete without him.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.