Raptors’ win streak halted at six games by Cavaliers
CLEVELAND 116, TORONTO 112
TORONTO — LeBron James collected 34 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers wrested sole ownership of first place in the National Basketball Association’s Eastern Conference from the Raptors with a 116-112 win Monday, ending Toronto’s six-game winning streak in yet another tense, tightly contested game.
Kevin Love posted 28 points and 14 rebounds, including six threepointers, while Kyrie Irving overcame early foul trouble to put up 24 points and seven assists for the Cavaliers (16-5).
DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors (14-7) with 31 points, while Kyle Lowry added 24 points and nine assists.
A back-and-forth affair through the entirety of the first half, Cleveland started to pull away as James hit his stride in the second. In the third quarter, he sucked in the defence before assisting on back-to-back Love threes to put the Cavs up 85-74.
When the Raptors clawed back in the fourth, James again took over, eventually pouring in seven straight points to lift Cleveland to its biggest lead of the game, 107-92.
At that point, the Cavs seemed poised to cruise, but the ever-pesky Raptors wouldn’t relent.
First, a driving layup from Lowry cut Cleveland’s lead to 112-107 with 35.3 seconds left, then moments later DeRozan got the Raptors within five.
DeRozan seemed to cut Cleveland’s lead to 114-112 with a contested three-point shot from the corner, but the referees subsequently ruled he was out of bounds when he took the shot.
For the Raptors, it was just another frustrating encounter with the rival Cavs, who are now responsible for three Toronto’s seven losses this season.
Despite entering tied atop the East, Toronto and Cleveland seemed to be moving in opposite directions. The Cavs had been scuffling, losing three straight games including double-digit losses against the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks.
The Raptors, meanwhile, rode sizzling long-distance shooting and suddenly crisp ball movement to six consecutive wins, including four straight blowouts that they won by an average of 30 points.