TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Raptors seem to have everything lined up in their favor heading into their postseason matchup against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.They're rested. The Raptors feel they are ready. They have home-court advantage.But they've been confident before heading into a playoff showdown with James and have come up short — twice."Gotta go through the best to get to that trophy," All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan said. "Every step of the way we're going to come across somebody."The Raptors open their second-round playoff series at home to James and the Cavs on Tuesday night. Cleveland has eliminated Toronto in two straight postseasons, including the 2016 conference finals and a second-round sweep last year.This time, however, Toronto is the top-seeded team in the East after a team-record 59-win season. The Raptors have been off since a Game 6 victory over Washington last Friday night finished their first-round series, while James and the Cavs were pushed to the limit... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors seem to have everything lined up in their favor heading into their postseason matchup against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.They're rested. The Raptors feel they are ready. They have home court advantage.But they've been confident before heading into a playoff showdown with James and have come up short — twice."Gotta go through the best to get to that trophy," All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan said. "Every step of the way we're going to come across somebody."The Raptors open their second round playoff series at home to James and the Cavs on Tuesday night. Cleveland has eliminated Toronto in two straight postseasons, including the 2016 conference finals and a second-round sweep last year.This time, however, Toronto is the top-seeded team in the East after a team-record 59-win season. The Raptors have been off since a Game 6 victory over Washington last Friday night finished their first round series, while James and the Cavs were pushed to... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James walked sluggishly down a corridor inside Quicken Loans Arena following Game 7 surrounded by the usual squadron of security personnel, some business associates and his publicist.Each step seemed a challenge. His eyes were heavy. He ached from head to toe. He wanted to lie down.James was moving on to the second round of the NBA playoffs — almost on his hands and knees."I don't think he's appreciated enough for just how much energy he puts into every single game to do what he does," Cavaliers forward Kyle Korver said of James. "It's just unbelievable."Pushed to his physical limits by the Indiana Pacers, and barely helped by Cleveland teammates until they finally showed up when it mattered most Sunday in a 105-101 win, James willed the Cavs into the next round, where they'll face the top-seeded Toronto Raptors for the third straight postseason.If the Indiana series was any indication, James might have to do it again.James scored 45 points — his third game over... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James walked sluggishly down a corridor inside Quicken Loans Arena following Game 7 surrounded by the usual squadron of security personnel, some business associates and his publicist.Each step seemed a challenge. His eyes were heavy. He ached from head to toe. He wanted to lie down.James was moving on to the second round of the NBA playoffs — almost on his hands and knees."I don't think he's appreciated enough for just how much energy he puts into every single game to do what he does," Cavaliers forward Kyle Korver said of James. "It's just unbelievable."Pushed to his physical limits by the Indiana Pacers, and barely helped by Cleveland teammates until they finally showed up when it mattered most Sunday in a 105-101 win, James willed the Cavs into the next round, where they'll face the top-seeded Toronto Raptors for the third straight postseason.If the Indiana series was any indication, James might have to do it again.James scored 45 points — his third game over... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — By now, LeBron James is usually getting some rest in the NBA playoffs.The Pacers are making him work much harder than he has in years.After splitting the first four games, Indiana and Cleveland will meet on Wednesday night in the critical Game 5 of a first-round series that has been unpredictable, uneven and for James, unusual.This first round hasn't been the norm for the three-time champion.While he's 12-0 in the opening round, before the Cavs dropped Game 1 to the Pacers at home, James had never lost a playoff opener. In fact, James came in with a 21-game winning streak in first-round games and this will be his first Game 5 in Round 1 since 2012 when he was with Miami.The Cavs and Pacers aren't the only ones in a tussle in the Eastern Conference as Washington and Toronto resume their series in Canada tied 2-2. Things aren't quite as tight In the West as Utah holds a 3-1 lead over a fraying Oklahoma City team, and Houston, which dropped 50 points in one quarter... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers point guard George Hill will miss Game 4 at Indiana because of back spasms. He will be replaced in the starting lineup by veteran Jose Calderon.Coach Tyronn Lue made the announcement Sunday about 90 minutes before tip-off and says he's not sure if Hill would be ready for Game 5 on Wednesday.Hill aggravated his back in Friday's 92-90 loss and was struggling to move over the past two days. The three-time defending Eastern Conference champs trail the Pacers 2-1.Calderon scored five points in 13½ minutes in the Cavs' Game 2 victory but did not play in Game 3.Tristan Thompson also should see more playing time Sunday after logging 1 minute, 59 seconds in the first three games.___More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers point guard George Hill is still listed as questionable for Sunday night's Game 4 against Indiana because of an injured back.Hill aggravated the injury in Friday's 92-90 loss. The three-time defending Eastern Conference champs trail the Pacers 2-1.Coach Tyronn Lue says veteran Jose Calderon will start if Hill doesn't.Calderon scored five points in 13½ minutes in the Cavs' Game 2 victory but did not play in Game 3.Tristan Thompson also is expected to see more playing time in Game 4 after playing a total of 1 minute, 59 seconds in the first three games — all in the Cavs' 18-point Game 1 loss.Thompson, Lue says, will add toughness and rebounding to the lineup.___More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — With the playoffs just days away, Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue typically would have his lineup rotations set by now.Nothing has been typical about this season for the Cavs.Lue said Thursday that he plans to use a 10-player rotation for Cleveland's opening-round series against the Indiana Pacers, but that things could change depending on injuries, matchups and performances."I will play 10," Lue said after the Cavaliers watched film on the Pacers, who went 3-1 against Cleveland this season. "We'll just see how it looks and if one guy is not great this round, then it might be nine."Lue and his staff have been juggling lineups and using different combinations on the floor for months, forced to adjust and re-adjust, first because of injuries and then by a slew of trades that transformed the team.Lue refused to name his full starting lineup for Sunday's Game 1. He revealed previously that four of them will be LeBron James, Kevin Love, Jeff Green and George Hill.... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love has entered the NBA's concussion protocol after being elbowed in the face.Love was struck by Miami's Jordan Mickey during Tuesday night's 98-79 loss to the Heat. He briefly returned to the floor, but experienced concussion-like symptoms at halftime. The Cavs said the All-Star will miss their game at Charlotte and his status will be updated when appropriate."He took a pretty good shot," Cavaliers associate head coach Larry Drew said Wednesday night. "And as is mentioned yesterday, we went in at halftime and the decision was made not to bring him back. You know it's unfortunate, we're just getting him back and then this happened. We just want to make sure that he's OK before we put him back out on the floor. It's unfortunate."Tristan Thompson was set to start against the Hornets.When asked if Love will require dental work, Drew replied: "I really don't know to be perfectly honest. I was told that one of his teeth was kind of pushed... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers are closer to being at full strength.Forwards Larry Nance Jr., Tristan Thompson, and Rodney Hood all returned from injuries on Friday night as Cleveland, which has been riddled with injuries all season, hosted the Phoenix Suns. Acting coach Larry Drew said none of the players will start and all will be on minutes' restrictions.Drew, who is filling in while coach Tyronn Lue is on leave to address his own health, plans to keep his starting lineup intact and ease the returning players into the rotation.LeBron James, Jose Calderon, George Hill, Jeff Green and Kevin Love were scheduled to started against Phoenix, which has lost nine in a row. Drew said he and Lue will talk again Saturday about lineup changes for the upcoming trip to Brooklyn, Miami and Charlotte."I really didn't want to disrupt the starting five that we have out there right now and those guys will be playing limited minutes, so I wanted to get them slowly back and acclimated to what we're doing,"... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The drama has included turmoil and trades, head-scratching losses, infighting, injuries and illness.Cleveland's stormy season seems extracted from the script of a scandalous TV soap opera — "All My Cavaliers."But just when it looked as if LeBron James and this group of Cavaliers, some of whom have yet to play together, were about to implode with the postseason in sight, a startling win may have turned them around."I always say there is one game during the season that changes your team," acting coach Larry Drew said following Cleveland's 132-129 win over Toronto. "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."With James on a mission to remind the Raptors of his magnificence, the short-handed Cavs, missing five rotational players and coach Tyronn Lue, rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second half Wednesday night to stun the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Kyle Korver has been excused from the team to be with family following the death of a younger brother.The team issued a statement late Tuesday night saying Korver's brother, Kirk, died earlier in the day."We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt best to Kyle and his entire family as they go through this very difficult time," the Cavs said.Korver is expected to miss Wednesday's home game against Toronto.Korver, in his second season with Cleveland, left the Cavs last week after his 27-year-old brother became seriously ill in Iowa. He played in Monday night's home win over Milwaukee, scoring 12 points.Korver's personal situation comes one day after Cavs coach Tyronn Lue stepped away from the team for health reasons.The Cavs have also been dealing with an assortment of injuries as Rodney Hood, Tristan Thompson, Larry Nance Jr. and Cedi Osman have been sidelined.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Kyle Korver has been excused from the team to be with family following the death of a younger brother.The team issued a statement late Tuesday night saying Korver's brother, Kirk, died earlier in the day."We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt best to Kyle and his entire family as they go through this very difficult time," the Cavs said.Korver is expected to miss Wednesday's home game against Toronto.Kyle Korver, who is in his second season with Cleveland, left the Cavs last week after his 27-year-old brother became seriously ill in Iowa. Korver played in Monday night's home win over Milwaukee, scoring 12 points.Korver's personal situation comes one day after Cavs coach Tyronn Lue stepped away from the team for health reasons. The Cavs have also been dealing with an assortment of injuries as Rodney Hood, Tristan Thompson, Larry Nance Jr. and Cedi Osman have been sidelined.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Kyle Korver has been excused from the team to be with family following the death of a younger brother.The team issued a statement late Tuesday night saying Korver's brother, Kirk, died earlier in the day."We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt best to Kyle and his entire family as they go through this very difficult time," the Cavs said.Korver is expected to miss Wednesday's home game against Toronto.Kyle Korver, who is in his second season with Cleveland, left the Cavs last week after his 27-year-old brother became seriously ill in Iowa. Korver played in Monday night's home win over Milwaukee, scoring 12 points.Korver's personal situation comes one day after Cavs coach Tyronn Lue stepped away from the team for health reasons. The Cavs have also been dealing with an assortment of injuries as Rodney Hood, Tristan Thompson, Larry Nance Jr. and Cedi Osman have been sidelined.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers are getting smaller.Cleveland lost another big man on Sunday as the team said starting center Tristan Thompson sustained a sprained right ankle during Saturday's loss and is expected to miss "multiple games."Thompson's loss is another blow to the defending Eastern Conference champions, who are struggling without All-Star forward Kevin Love (broken hand) and could be without forward Jeff Green (sore back) for a few more games. Love has increased his on-court rehab but isn't expected back until the end of March.Thompson injured his heel when he was stepped on by one of Denver's players during the first half of the 126-117 loss to the Nuggets, Cleveland's fourth loss in five home games. Thompson stayed in the game and finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, but the team said he experienced "significant swelling" overnight and tests revealed the sprain.Thompson, one of four players remaining from the team's 2016 NBA title squad, is averaging 6.5 rebounds and... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers will be without starting center Tristan Thompson for several games because of a sprained right ankle.Thompson injured his heel when he was stepped on by one of Denver's players during the first half of Saturday's loss to the Nuggets. He stayed in the game and finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, but the team said he experienced "significant swelling" overnight and tests revealed the sprain. The Cavs said he will miss "multiple games."Thompson's loss is another blow for the struggling Cavs, who are already without All-Star forward Kevin Love because of a broken left hand. Love is not expected to return until the end of March.Thompson, who has bounced in and out of Cleveland's starting lineup, is averaging 6.5 rebounds and 6.3 points in 42 games — 21 starts. With Thompson out, coach Tyronn Lue will likely start Larry Nance Jr., one of four players the Cavs added through trades last month.Cleveland is 4-4 since its roster overhaul.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — As the Cavaliers experience growing pains with four new players, relief might be ahead: Kevin Love.The All-Star forward, sidelined since Jan. 29 with a broken left hand, said Friday he could return sooner than expected. The initial timetable was for him to be out two months."If I can get back before eight weeks, great," he said. "So I'm hoping that that is the case."Love's recovery has picked up speed in recent days. He's now able to catch the ball with a padded glove to protect his left hand, and the progress is such that there's less risk for re-injury."One of the things I can do now is kind of catch the ball, guide it and shoot it within 12-15 feet so that feels good to do something other than run on the treadmill or run on the bike so it's nice," he said.The Cavaliers have been transformed since the last time Love played, with their roster overhauled by three trades before the deadline. Cleveland is just 3-4 since adding guards George Hill, Jordan Clarkson... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Love dodged surgery. The Cavaliers were hit hard.The All-Star forward, who was recently at the center of some team turmoil, will miss two months because of a broken left hand. Love fractured the fifth metacarpal Tuesday night during a loss at Detroit, and his injury is just the latest mishap for the Cavs, who are coming off a sub-par January.It was expected that Love would need an operation to repair the break, but after Cleveland's medical staff consulted with doctors at New York's Hospital for Special Surgery, it was determined Love can recover without any procedure. He had surgery on his left hand in 2009 while with Minnesota and still has three screws in place.The timetable for Love's return means he'll miss all but the final two weeks of the regular season. The team's second-leading scorer and top rebounder won't have much time to get ready for the playoffs. But with the way the Cavs are playing, it's questionable how far they can go.Cleveland (30-20) is coming... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Love dodged surgery. The Cavaliers were hit hard.The All-Star forward will miss two months because of a broken left hand, the team announced Friday. He injured the fifth metacarpal Tuesday night during a loss at Detroit.Cleveland's medical staff consulted with doctors at New York's Hospital for Special Surgery on Wednesday, and it was determined Love can recover without an operation. He had surgery on his left hand in 2009 while with Minnesota and still has three screws from the procedure.The timetable for Love's return means he'll miss all but the final two weeks of the regular season. The team's second-leading scorer and top rebounder won't have much time to get ready for the playoffs. But with the way the Cavs are playing it's questionable how far they can go.Cleveland (30-20) is coming off a bumpy January in which the Eastern Conference champions went 6-8 and were blown out in several losses, leading to finger-pointing between teammates. Now the Cavaliers will... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Kevin Love will miss two months with a broken left hand, but he does not need surgery.Love broke the fifth metacarpal Tuesday night in the first quarter of a loss at Detroit. Following consultation at New York's Hospital for Special Surgery, the team's medical staff decided Love can recover without an operation.Love's injury is yet another obstacle for the Cavs, who went 6-8 during a bumpy January that included several blowout losses and some finger-pointing between teammates.The five-time All-Star is averaging 17.9 points and 9.4 rebounds in his fourth season with Cleveland.With Love out, Cavs coach Tyronn Lue started forward Jae Crowder on Wednesday against Miami. Last week, Lue moved Crowder into the second unit and started Tristan Thompson at center with Love moving back to power forward.Love has been replaced on the All-Star team by Heat guard Goran Dragic.