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Cavaliers Can't Overcome Injuries, Poor Shooting In Loss To Raptors

Jarrett Allen, Kevin Love and Lamar Stevens were all out of the lineup Monday night

Last Wednesday, following a win over the Portland Trail Blazers, Donovan Mitchell was asked what the difference was for the Cavaliers from a five-game losing skid to a four-game win streak. 

Mitchell pointed to his right, where Jarrett Allen sat, who was also fielding questions from the media. 

Allen had just dropped 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to help lead the Cavs to their fourth-straight victory, but his impact in the locker room and on the defensive end of the floor was even more evident from Mitchell's comments. 

Monday night, the Cavs couldn't overcome the absence of Allen and a poor shooting night on the back-end of a back-to-back on their way to a 100-88 loss at the hands of the Toronto Raptors. 

The loss marked the second time the Cavs were held under 100 points all season. 

Mitchell scored five points in the first three minutes and was held off the scoresheet for the remainder of the game. Darius Garland posted his fifth double-double of the season with 18 points and ten assists while Evan Mobley secured his fifth double-double in the last seven games with 18 points and 15 rebounds.

As the Cavaliers dealt with a handful of injuries that included Allen, Kevin Love (fractured thumb) and Lamar Stevens (illness), the Raptors received some reinforcements from the injury list, namely Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes

Siakam scored 18 points and had 11 rebounds to help beat the Wine and Gold for the second time this season after a victory on opening night. 

Caris LeVert missed the last four games with an ankle sprain but returned to action against the Raptors and came off the bench. He scored eight points and had six rebounds in 29 minutes. 

Cleveland looked like a team on the second-night of a back-to-back, looking sluggish and struggling from the field. The Cavs shot just 37-percent from the field and 18-percent (7-for-38) from three-point range. 

With five minutes remaining, Bickerstaff had pulled four of his starters in favor of Isaiah Mobley, Raul Neto, Cedi Osman, Caris LeVert and Okoro. 

The Cavs return home on Wednesday night to regroup and host Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. 

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