CLEVELAND _ LeBron James didn't bite on associate head coach Larry Drew's suggestion that Wednesday's victory over the East-leading Toronto Raptors could be the season's watershed moment for the Cavaliers.
But Drew's comment might have been lost in translation.
James was thinking only of the 11 regular-season games remaining before the playoffs begin.
Not that after six months of turmoil, the Cavs finally found the mindset they needed to have a chance to reach the NBA Finals for the fourth consecutive year.
Not that after giving up a season-worst 79 points in the first half, they turned up the effort and held the Raptors to 50 points in the second half _ a defensive blueprint that could serve them well in the postseason.
Not that they shot 60 percent from the field and 63 percent from beyond the arc without five rotation players and coach Tyronn Lue, taking a leave of absence to address health issues, or that they rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit with a fourth-quarter lineup of playoff-tested veterans.
As James praised the Cavs' resilience, it seemed significant that he noted that closing out the game with him were Jeff Green, George Hill, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith.
"We had guys that have played in big games ... so you know what you're going to get out of that," James said.
Drew didn't hesitate to attach added importance to what happened at Quicken Loans Arena Wednesday. James seemed to send a message to the Raptors about Eastern Conference superiority by scoring 35 points with 17 assists and no turnovers. He scored or assisted on 80 of the Cavs' 132 points, the second-highest total of his 15-year career.
Drew also noted the Cavs got "a little bit grimier" on defense in the second half, which he would like to see continue.
"I don't know what 'Bron might have been thinking, but I always say there is one game during the season that changes your team," Drew said. "That game can be early, it can be midway, it can be late. There's always one game that kind of changes your team, the mindset. And I really believe tonight's game might have done that for us.
"Particularly because, number one, we're short-handed. Number two, we played a really good basketball team. And then the fact that we came (back) from a deficit, which very few teams do against this team."
The Raptors lost for just the third time in 46 games when leading after three quarters.
James didn't seem to agree, even as the three-time defending East champion Cavs stand third in the conference going into Friday's home game against the Suns.
"Turn around the season? We only got like 11 games left. The season is almost over," James said. "We want to continue just to work our habits and we'll see what happens."
Love and Hill seemed much more agreeable with Drew's statement that beating the Raptors, who defeated the Cavs by 34 in Toronto on Jan. 11, might springboard the team to another level of performance, a level that since Feb. 7 James has already reached.
"I hope so," Hill said. "I hope that it changes our identity to get up in guys and play a little better defensively and things like that. It was just a great overall team win. I think every guy on this team chipped in and did a hell of a job."
Love hoped the victory has the effect Drew suggested, even though the answer might not come until the season ends. Even if it doesn't, Love said it should give the Cavs more confidence when trailing the league's upper echelon.
"More than anything it just feels like even when we are down we are not out," Love said. "I know it's been mentioned 1,000 times about us not having all the bodies we want out there, but it's always been strength in numbers for us. We've always been better with a full lineup and being able to play several different ways.
"It always feels like when our first and second units are jelling and we have that first push and we come in with fresh bodies that it's deflating for the next guys that are playing on the opposite side of the floor. This is big for us as far as having confidence and knowing that we are never out of a game, and (the Raptors) are a great team."
Some might dispute Love's strength-in-numbers comment, especially since the Cavs went 18-1 in November and December with an injury-ravaged group that forced Lue to start 36-year-old Jose Calderon at point guard. Now the Cavs are 19-8 with Calderon in the lineup, although the early season string came against a much weaker schedule.
Wednesday marked the 23rd starting combination the Cavs have used in 71 games. With Rodney Hood, Tristan Thompson, Larry Nance Jr. and Cedi Osman still to return from injuries and Kyle Korver excused for the death of his 27-year-old brother, Kirk, there will be more juggling. But in beating the Raptors, the Cavs now know the effort and focus required and reinforced who can come up big in the clutch.
As Love observed, the Cavs have been "learning on the fly" all season. He knows the importance of the final 11 games and might carry with him Drew's suggestion that Wednesday was a watershed moment.
"I think us being able to step up knowing we have a lot to play for and a lot to get better for the last little bit of this season is vital and huge for us," Love said. "More than anything, health is the most important. We need to get all of our guys back on the floor and get our coach back."
