over the crossbar, Howard denied Ashley Cole after a slow approach a

CLEVELAND -- The Cavaliers are far more focused on how theyll finish. They are not complaining about their start, though.With Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson sitting courtside, LeBron James came up one rebound shy of a triple-double and Kyrie Irving scored 24 points to lead Cleveland to a 121-117 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, making the Cavs 9-1 to match their best start after 10 games.James had 28 points and 14 assists as the Cavs improved to 2-0 this season against the Raptors, the team they beat in last seasons Eastern Conference finals and the one they could meet there again in 2017.The Cavs last went 9-1 in 1976-77.I dont really pay attention to the records, said James. But I do pay attention to the teams were playing, and what they bring to the table.The Raptors bring a lot, and are one of the only teams in the East capable of going to toe-to-toe with the defending NBA champions. However, Toronto came up short against Cleveland just as it did in last years playoffs.Im not encouraged by any loss, said Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, who finished with 28 points and nine assists. We want to win every single game. Every time we touch the floor we want to win games.Channing Fryes 3-pointer from the top of the key with 59 seconds left put the Cavs up by one. Cleveland then buckled down on defense, holding the Raptors scoreless until letting Lowry make a layup with 2.8 seconds left.Kevin Love added 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavs, who have already had their share of tight games.Were one of the teams at the top thats going to get every teams best shot, Love said. Thats a team we have history with. Theyre well-coached. They know how to play and you saw them fight back tonight. Thats the kind of tension in playing those type of teams early thats going to be good for us. Weve had certain lapses in our first 10 games that we need to clean up. But were getting teams best shots home or away and well be a better team for it.DeMar DeRozan added 26 for the Raptors, who complained about fouls called against Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas in the final two minutes and a possible goaltending violation against the Cavs that wasnt called in the closing seconds. Toronto came in 5-0 in games where Lowry and DeRozan combined for more than 50 points.Lowry was also whistled for a technical in the final two minutes.The ball bounced of my foot, Lowry said. I wasnt trying to slam it. I dribbled the ball and it bounced of my foot. Its not like it went far. Coach (Dwane Casey) caught the ball. Whatever, keep my money.The Cavs made 13 3-pointers and have dropped at least 10 in all 10 games, extending their league record to start a season.TIP-INS:Raptors: With so many shooters, and James passing ability, the Cavs can stress defenses to the max. They have that extra point guard on the floor in LeBron, Casey said. He finds people the normal human being doesnt see.Cavaliers: Coach Tyronn Lue is hopeful J.R. Smith can return for Wednesdays game at Indiana. Smith needs three 3-pointers to pass Dirk Nowitzki for 15th place on the career list. ... G/F Mike Dunleavy is off to a rough start in his first season with Cleveland. Acquired from Chicago over the summer, Dunleavy is shooting just 29 percent (8 of28) on 3-pointers. Were not worried about Mike, Lue said. Hes going to find his way.ON THE BENCHThe Raptors played without starting forward DeMarre Carroll, who was given the night off to rest his surgically repaired knee. He also sat out Saturdays game against New York as he continues to recover from right knee surgery.Smith missed his second straight game with a sprained right ankle, leaving Cleveland without one of its top outside threats and defenders.FINALS TESTOn consecutive nights, the Raptors are taking on the leagues top two teams in Cleveland and Golden State, last seasons finals participants.It should be fun, Casey said. It should be exciting for our players to go against the champion and the runner-up from last year. Its not going to make or break our season. It will help our young guys to get the experience against the two best teams and the two best players in the league this early in the season.Brooklyn is the only other team that will play the Cavs and Warriors on consecutive nights (Dec. 22-23).UP NEXTRaptors: Host Golden State on Wednesday.Cavaliers: Play at Indiana on Wednesday. Derek Roy Jersey . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Dominik Hasek Sabres Jersey . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. http://www.sabresteamstoreonline.com/authentic-danny-gare-sabres-jersey/ . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. Custom Buffalo Sabres Jerseys . PAUL, Minn. Conor Sheary Sabres Jersey . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. NEW YORK -- Sebastian Giovinco had the fourth hat trick in MLS playoff history and Toronto FC routed New York City FC 5-0 on Sunday night to reach the Eastern Conference finals.With a 7-0 aggregate victory, Toronto set an MLS record for the largest margin of victory in a two-legged series since the league started using the playoff format in 2003.Toronto will face the Montreal Impact in the two-game conference finals, with Game 1 set for Montreal on Tuesday, Nov. 22. They are the first Canadian teams in league history to reach the conference finals.Giovinco scored twice in the first 20 minutes, and Jozy Altidore added another first-half goal. In the sixth minute, Giovinco settled Altidores pass, spun his defender and sent it past a late diving Eirik Johansen. Giovinco had a penalty-kick goal 14 minutes later.In the 30th, Altidore was the first to Eriq Zavaletas chipped pass over the defense and he blasted it past Johansen. Jonathan Osor scored in the 50th, and Giovinco capped the scoring in the 91st with his seventh goal in his last six games.IMPACT 2, RED BULLS 1(IMPACT ADVANCES ON 3-1 AGGREGATE)HARRISON, N.J. -- Ignacio Piatti scored his second goal of the game in the 85th minute and Montreal beat New York to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time.Montreal won the two-game, total-goals series 3-1 after taking the opener 1-0 at home last week.Piatti opened the scoring in the 51st minute, powering a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Luis Robles.Eight minutes after New York tied it, Piatti iced it with his right foot. Dominic Oduro raced down the left sideline on a breakaway and waited for help. Didier Drogba trailed up the middle, drew two defenders and found an open Piatti for a close-range shot.Bradley Wright-Phillips, who won his second MLS Golden Boot in the last three seasons with 24 regular-season goals, scored on a deflected shot in the 78th minute.RAPIDS 1, GALAXY 0 (1-1 AGGREGATE, RAPIDS WIN 3-1 ON PENALTY KICKKS)COMMERCE CITY, Colo.dddddddddddd -- Tim Howard made two saves in the penalty shootout and Colorado beat Los Angeles 3-1 on penalties to advance to the Western Conference finals.Colorado won the regulation game 1-0, tying the two-game, total-goals series 1-1 and forcing the tiebreaker. Los Angeles won 1-0 at home last Sunday.Colorado will face the Seattle Sounders in the Rapids first conference finals appearance since winning the MLS Cup in 2010. The two-game series will open in Seattle on Sunday, Nov. 20.Shkelzen Gashi scored in the 36th minute.In the shootout, Steven Gerrard put Los Angeles in front, but the Galaxy missed their next three attempts. Dos Santos sent it over the crossbar, Howard denied Ashley Cole after a slow approach and Howard sealed it by diving to his right to block Jeff Larentowiczs roller. Kevin Doyle, Sebastien Le Toux and Marco Pappa converted PKs for Colorado.FC DALLAS 2, SOUNDERS 1 (SOUNDERS ADVANCE ON 4-2 AGGREGATE)FRISCO, Texas -- Seattle advanced to the Western Conference finals, winning the two-leg series 4-2 after falling 2-1 in the second game.Dallas, the Supporters Shield winner, was just the third team in MLS history to face a three-goal deficit after the first game in a two-leg series -- and no team has come back.Seattle sat back in the defensive end for much of the first half but gave up a goal in the 25th minute. Dallas defender Atiba Harris hooked a cross into the area and Tesho Akindele headed it off the crossbar for his third career playoff goal.Seattle got a much needed away goal in the 54th minute from midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro to tie it a 1. Tyrone Mears stole it from Walker Zimmerman deep in Dallas territory and played it across goal for a sliding Lodeiro.Two minutes later, Maximiliano Urruti gave Dallas a 2-1 lead but it still needed three more goals to move on. ' ' '