CAVALIERS

against Toronto, going 1 for 8 from 3-point range, and called it “probably one of my worst games of the season.”

Still, James came through when it counted, tying the score with two baskets in the final 92 seconds of regulation to complete Cleveland’s comeback from a double-digit deficit.

“It got to a one-possession, two-possession game,” James said. “That’s what I like the most.”

Toronto’s Fred VanVleet missed a 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds to go in overtime that could have won it for the Raptors, who couldn’t hold on after taking a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

“He got a heck of a shot,” Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan said. “I’ll live with him shooting that shot 10 times out of 10. We got a good look and it just didn’t fall.”

Jonas Valanciunas had 21 points and 21 rebounds, Kyle Lowry had 18 points

and 10 assists, and DeRozan scored 22 points for the Raptors, who host Game 2 on Thursday night.

The Cavaliers beat the Raptors in six games in the Eastern Conference finals in 2016 before going on to win their first NBA championship. Last year, Cleveland swept Toronto in the second round.

Korver’s 3 early in overtime gave the Cavaliers their first lead of the game, 108-105.

Lowry’s three-point play made it 113-112 with 57 seconds to go and, after the Cavs were called for a shotclock violation, Toronto had one more chance to win, but VanVleet couldn’t come through.

“We feel good about the win but I think we were also very fortunate,” Korver said.

VanVleet was one of four Raptors to miss in the final seconds of regulation. Toronto got four looks at the potential winning basket but missed all four, including a wide-open 3 by VanVleet, giving Cleveland the ball with 0.6 seconds remaining. Green inboundinto

ed to James, but his shot bounced off the rim.

The Raptors shot 5 for 24 in the fourth quarter, with Valanciunas missing six of seven attempts. Toronto missed its final 11 shot attempts in regulation.

“I don’t know if it was nerves or yips or what,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. “Just things that shot ourselves in the foot when we had a 10-point lead.”

DeRozan scored 11 points in the first, connecting on five of eight attempts, and Lowry had eight points and five assists as Toronto led 33-19. James was 3 of 5 in the first but the rest of the Cavs shot 4 for 18.

James, who averaged more than 41 minutes in Cleveland’s first-round series against Indiana, checked out with 3:31 left in the first. With James on the bench, the Cavs scored two points the rest of the quarter.

Green and Smith each scored 11 points in the second and the Cavs found their shooting stroke, connecting on 14 of 22 attempts. James had five assists in the period as Cleveland cut the deficit to 60-57 at halftime.