Mobley scores 25, Mitchell adds 21 as Cavaliers rout Raptors 136-106 in season opener

TORONTO (AP) — Evan Mobley scored 25 points, Donovan Mitchell had 21 and the Cleveland Cavaliers routed the Toronto Raptors 136-106 on Wednesday night.

Caris LeVert shot 8 for 9 and scored 19 points, and Jarrett Allen had 14 for the Cavs, whose biggest lead was 33. Cleveland won for the first time in five season-opening meetings with Toronto.

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes shot 3 for 14 and scored nine points in a disappointing season debut.

Toronto’s Chris Boucher scored 18 points off the bench, Gradey Dick added 16 and guard Immanuel Quickley scored 13 points in 14 minutes before exiting because of an injury.

Cavaliers: Mobley shot 9 for 14 to help Cleveland outscore Toronto 68-38 in the paint. Dean Wade started in place of the injured Max Strus (right ankle) and had eight rebounds.

Raptors: Toronto kicked off its 30th NBA season by welcoming former stars Damon Stoudamire, T.J. Ford and Jerome Williams back to town, but didn’t offer much on-court excitement in the season opener. The Raptors made 19 turnovers, leading to 30 points for Cleveland. Many in the sellout crowd of 19,800 left early.

Quickley fell heavily under his own basket when he was fouled in the second quarter. He checked out with 2:24 to go in the first half and did not return. The Raptors said Quickley was ruled out because of a right pelvic contusion.

Cleveland outscored Toronto 20-4 over the final 5:09 of the first half as the Raptors turned the ball over six times. The Cavs had five dunks in that stretch, three of them from Allen. Cleveland led 69-49 at the break.

The Cavaliers play their home opener against Detroit on Friday night. Toronto hosts former coach Nick Nurse and the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Cleveland Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell (45) drives past Toronto Raptors' Ochai Agbaji (30) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors' Jakob Poeltl (19) is fouled by Cleveland Cavaliers' Dean Wade (32) as Cavaliers' Ty Jerome (2) looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley (4) is fouled by Toronto Raptors' Jonathan Mogbo (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors' Chris Boucher, left, and Cleveland Cavaliers' Caris LeVert (3) battle for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes, bottom, passes as Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley (4) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes (4) reacts after being called for a foul against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors' Chris Boucher, left, and Cleveland Cavaliers' Caris LeVert (3) battle for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Cleveland Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell, left, drives as Toronto Raptors' Davion Mitchell (45) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Cleveland Cavaliers' Darius Garland (10) drives as Toronto Raptors' Gradey Dick (1) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley (4) dunks as Toronto Raptors' Jakob Poeltl (19) looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday he's moving to set up direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as he can, after Putin opted to skip peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey.

“I think it’s time for us to just do it,” Trump told reporters as he wrapped a four-day visit to the Middle East.

Trump later told reporters after boarding Air Force One to begin the journey back to Washington that he may call Putin soon.

“He and I will meet, and I think we’ll solve it or maybe not,” Trump said. “At least we’ll know. And if we don’t solve it, it’ll be very interesting.”

Trump reiterated that he wasn’t surprised that Putin skipped out on the talks set for Friday in Turkey. Putin didn’t want to go because he’s not there, Trump said.

The Republican president added that he would hold a meeting with Putin “as soon as we can set it up.”

“I would actually leave here and go,” said Trump, who noted his daughter Tiffany just gave birth to her first child. “I do want to see my beautiful grandson.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to take part in the talks as Trump pressed for the leaders to find a solution to the war, ongoing since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. But Putin spurned the call to meet face-to-face with Zelenskyy.

Trump has pressed both sides to quickly come to a war-ending agreement. Zelenskyy has agreed to an American plan for an initial 30-day halt to hostilities, but Russia has not signed on and has continued to strike at targets inside Ukraine.

Still, Russia and Ukraine were holding their first direct peace talks in three years Friday, gathering in Istanbul for negotiations. Officials and observers expect them to yield little immediate progress on stopping the more than 3-year-old war.

“He didn’t go, and I understand that,” Trump said. “We’re going to get it done. We got to get it done. Five thousand young people are being killed every single week on average, and we’re going to get it done.”

Trump on Thursday told reporters that a meeting between himself and Putin was crucial to breaking the deadlock.

“I don’t believe anything’s going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together,” Trump said. “But we’re going to have to get it solved because too many people are dying."

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a joint press statement with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Alexander Nemenov/Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Promsvyazbank CEO Pyotr Fradkov during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Alexander Kryazhev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

President Donald Trump tours the Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque at the Abrahamic Family House, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump talks before signing guest book at the Abrahamic Family House, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump attends a business meeting and roundtable at Qasr Al Watan, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Friday, May 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)