CLEVELAND _ Cavaliers associate head coach Larry Drew considered whether Wednesday's clash with the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors would be a statement game, took a look at his injury-depleted roster and rejected that notion.
But LeBron James clearly didn't agree.
His intense look at the Raptors' bench following his 3-pointer with 8:07 to go seemed to send a message that the short-handed Cavs weren't rolling over. James' death stare might have also included a signal about postseason conference supremacy as well.
The Cavs were without five rotation players and coach Tyronn Lue, taking a leave of absence to address health issues. But they rediscovered how to play defense in the third quarter and escaped with a thrilling 132-129 victory at Quicken Loans Arena.
Kevin Love drilled a 3-pointer from the corner off a James assist with 27.5 seconds to go for a four-point lead and the Cavs celebrated as if they'd won the game. Love bumped shoulders with J.R. Smith, George Hill and Jeff Green before being greeted by a beaming James.
But it wasn't over yet.
DeMar DeRozan kept the Raptors in it with a jumper over Smith and two free throws, and the Cavs countered with a Love free throw and two more by James. With 7.3 seconds to go, George Hill intentionally fouled DeRozan, but he missed the second free-throw attempt and James rebounded.
James was fouled, but made only one from the stripe with 3.9 seconds left. That gave DeRozan a desperation shot from the top of the key that was contested by James and fell off. DeRozan believed he was fouled.
The Raptors lost for the first time in 10 road games and suffered just their second loss in their past 14 games.
The sellout crowd included owner Dan Gilbert's son Nick, who underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor in mid-February and spent 38 days in a Detroit hospital.
After shootaround, James said of the long odds the Cavs faced against the Raptors, "I'll be available, so we've got a chance."
James, who played 40 minutes without a turnover, scored 35 points with 17 assists and seven rebounds, and Love added 23 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. Love was playing just his second game in his return from a fractured left hand.
Hill played his most efficient game since joining the Cavs in a Feb. 8 trade with the Sacramento Kings. Hill scored 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting, 2-of-2 on 3-pointers.
Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with 24 points, four rebounds and seven assists, and DeRozan had 21 points, three rebounds and five assists.
The Raptors' reserves outscored the Cavs' 58-23.
The Cavs were without guards Kyle Korver (whose 27-year-old brother Kirk died Tuesday) and Rodney Hood (lower back soreness), forward Cedi Osman (left hip strain) and centers Larry Nance Jr. (right hamstring soreness) and Tristan Thompson (sprained right ankle). Jose Calderon took the place of Korver as the Cavs improved to 19-8 with Calderon in the lineup this season.
The Cavs used a 13-3 run in the third quarter to cut the Raptors' lead to 93-88 at the 3:03 mark. The Cavs kept the pressure on and sliced the deficit to one, 99-98, on J.R. Smith's 3-pointer at the 19-second mark.
Drew used unusual lineups to fuel the surge, finishing the quarter with James, Smith, rookie Ante Zizic, Jose Calderon and Jordan Clarkson. Hill, Green and Love also contributed to the comeback, with Hill scoring nine in the third quarter.
It was a huge departure from the first 24 minutes, when defense was optional for the Cavs.
The Raptors led 79-64 at the half, scoring their season-high for either half. It was also a season-high for a Cavs' opponent; the Cavs gave up 76 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 148-124 loss at home on Jan. 20.
The difference was the Raptors' reserves, who totaled 35 points in the first half to the Cavs' 14. Fred VanVleet had 14 of those, and Jakob Poeltl, Pascal Siakam and Deion Wright had seven each.
The Raptors shot 63 percent from the field and 12-of-18 from 3-point range in the first half.
The Cavs scored 42 points in the first quarter, one shy of their season-high in any quarter and the ninth time they've hit 40 this season. The Cavs shot 77 percent from the field and made 5-of-6 from behind the arc. James dished out eight of the Cavs' 14 assists (on 17 makes).
