Former NBA guard Raymond Felton sees a problem with a team many expect to win. Cleveland has the talent on paper, and the championship expectations are high. But as the playoff pressure peaks, Felton just said what many were thinking. 

Before Game 7, speaking on an episode of the "To The Baha" podcast, Felton spoke after Cleveland faced an overtime loss in Game 6 on May 1. Felton is questioning something deeper about their identity. During the podcast, he talked about his primary concern.

“Cleveland, get out of this one. I’m not confident they even can [get] to the next one, talent-wise, I want you… But toughness… I just don’t see the toughness.” He pointed to their February 2026 deal when they traded Darius Garland to bring in James Harden.

“This is the same guys, the same core,” he continued. “You get rid of Garland… Garland to me was still can hoop, but there was no level of toughness, and they still missing that.”

“They was playing good when they had Tyson… he brought toughness… now he’s sitting out… That little toughness is gone,” he said, referring to second-year wing Jaylon Tyson.

“The only toughness they got is… Dennis Schröder… And that’s nothing against Don…” he added. 

The series is tied 3-3, mostly because Cleveland has serious road issues. They are a terrible 0-3 away from home. In Game 4, they allowed 21 offensive boards. This poor execution away from home led to their Game 6 overtime loss.

It's been a close series. The Cavaliers and Raptors have scored the same number of points (669) in the six games.

Their field goal and 3-point shooting percentages are comparable, and the margins are slim in rebounding (Cleveland holds a 253-249 edge) and steals (Toronto has a 54-50 lead).

Cleveland still holds a trio of Mitchell, Harden, and Evan Mobley. But they lack a consistent physical and mental edge when the game gets tough. Talent can win a single game, but toughness under pressure wins a playoff series. 

Cleveland Cavaliers Keep Struggling on the Road While Toronto's Young Core Steps Up

Cleveland is not entirely soft, but are inconsistent from game to game. They have great size inside with Mobley and Jarrett Allen. They have also shown strong physical play on their home court. 

However, their road collapses in Games 3, 4, and 6 exposed many flaws. The younger Toronto core outperforms them in hustle plays. Players like Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and even rookie Collin Murray-Boyles have taken advantage of this all series long.

The Cavaliers are hoping to move on from the first round for the third straight season, while the Raptors are looking to reach the Eastern Semifinals for the first time since 2020. Cleveland swept Toronto in three consecutive seasons from 2016-18.

If Cleveland advances today, it will likely face the winner of the series between the Detroit Pistons and the Orlando Magic in the second round.

Do you think this team has the mental toughness to make a deep playoff run?

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Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Utsav Gupta