Brandon Ingram Fires 37 Points as Raptors Extend Win Streak to 8 with 110-99 Victory Over Cavaliers

When Brandon Ingram drained a step-back three with 1:20 left in the third quarter, the Toronto Raptors didn’t just take a lead — they seized control. The shot, his fifth from deep that night, pushed Toronto’s advantage to 14 points and sent Scotiabank Arena into a roar. It was the exclamation point on a 110-99 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, November 24, 2025, and the eighth straight victory for a team suddenly playing like a championship contender. The win improved Toronto’s record to 13-5, while Cleveland fell to 12-7, a result that now places the Raptors atop the Atlantic Division with a .722 winning percentage — and no games behind.

The Ingram Show: A Season-Defining Night

Brandon Ingram didn’t just score 37 points — he orchestrated the game. He hit 6 of 12 from beyond the arc, including 15 of his 37 in the third quarter alone, when Toronto outscored Cleveland 31-22. His final three-pointer wasn’t just a bucket; it was a psychological dagger. The Cavaliers, already struggling with rhythm, looked exhausted. "He wasn’t just hot," said one Raptors assistant coach afterward. "He was in a zone where every shot felt like it had a magnet on it." Ingram added seven rebounds and five assists, but it was his scoring efficiency under pressure that stood out. He shot 14-of-24 from the field, including 5-of-7 in the fourth quarter as Cleveland tried to claw back.

Barnes and Poeltl Anchor the Effort

While Ingram stole the headlines, Scottie Barnes quietly delivered one of his most complete performances: 18 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and two steals. His ability to switch defensively on screens and finish at the rim kept Cleveland’s defense guessing. Meanwhile, Jakob Poeltl, back from a lower back soreness that sidelined him the night before, dominated the glass with 13 rebounds — eight on the defensive end — and anchored Toronto’s interior defense. "He’s our anchor," head coach Darko Rajakovic said. "When he’s active, we’re hard to score on."

The Raptors’ bench also contributed: Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 12 points with crisp movement, and Immanuel Quickley added 11, including a signature step-back jumper that YouTube highlights later labeled "a moment of pure guard craft." Toronto’s fast break offense, already the NBA’s best, generated 21 transition points — a testament to their ball movement and defensive pressure.

Cavaliers’ Struggles Under the Lights

For Cleveland, it was a night of missed opportunities and frustrating inefficiency. Donovan Mitchell, averaging 27 points this season, managed just 17 on 6-of-20 shooting — including 3-of-12 from three. His frustration was visible: he took contested mid-range jumpers when open looks were available, and his passing, usually sharp, looked hesitant. "He’s got to trust his teammates more," said Cavaliers assistant coach John Beilein postgame. "We’re better than this."

Lonzo Ball was a ghost — 3-of-15 from the field, 2-of-12 from deep, finishing with eight points. His 10 missed threes were the most in a single game this season by any Cavalier. Meanwhile, Evan Mobley and Jaylon Tyson each scored 14, but their efforts were drowned out by Toronto’s depth and pace. The Cavaliers’ bench, led by Larry Nance Jr., showed flashes — particularly a slick touch pass to Tyson in transition — but couldn’t sustain momentum.

Missing Pieces and Mental Fatigue

Toronto played without RJ Barrett, their Canadian shooting guard, who sprained his right knee in Sunday’s win over Brooklyn. Though tests showed no ligament damage, Rajakovic confirmed Barrett would be out for at least the next two games. "He’s a spark," the coach said. "But this team’s depth is showing up."

Cleveland was without Darius Garland (sore left big toe) and De'Andre Hunter (rest on back-to-back). But even with their full roster, the Cavs looked mentally drained. YouTube highlights from the game, posted on November 25, 2025, captured a moment at 0:16:10 where a Cavaliers player missed a rotation entirely — a rare lapse for a team that prides itself on defensive discipline. "They looked tired," said analyst Chris Webber on ESPN’s postgame show. "Not just physically. Mentally. Like they’d already lost before the fourth quarter started."

A Historic Sweep and a Rising Power

This win marked the first time since the 2019-20 NBA season that the Raptors swept the regular season series against Cleveland. It’s a small statistical footnote, but it carries weight: Toronto has transformed from a rebuilding team into a legitimate playoff threat. Their 12 wins in 13 games is their best 13-game stretch since 2018-19, when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals. The Raptors now lead the Atlantic Division by 1.5 games over Boston and are tied for the third-best record in the East.

What’s most impressive? They’re doing it without a true #1 option — Ingram is scoring like one, but he’s still learning to lead. Barnes is a two-way force. Poeltl is the glue. Quickley is the spark. And Rajakovic has turned a roster with no All-Stars into a cohesive unit that thrives on rhythm, pressure, and unselfishness.

What’s Next?

Toronto’s next game is against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 — a tough road test against a team that’s also playing well. Cleveland, meanwhile, returns home to face the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, but they’ll need to address their offensive stagnation before then. The Cavs are still a top-10 team, but their ceiling feels capped without Garland’s playmaking and Mitchell’s efficiency.

For now, the Raptors are riding high. Their eight-game win streak is the longest in the NBA this season. Their defense ranks top-five. Their bench is the deepest in the East. And Brandon Ingram? He’s no longer just a scorer. He’s becoming the kind of player who carries teams through the grind of a long season — the kind of player that wins championships.