DPA/Los Angeles

The return of LeBron James was supposed to make the Cleveland Cavaliers the best team in the Eastern Conference. But on Saturday night, they lost their fourth straight game to the best team in the Eastern Conference.
James and the Cavaliers continued to struggle, squandering an 18-point lead in a 110-93 home loss to the Toronto Raptors, who got a career-high 36 points from reserve Lou Williams.
“They’re No 1 in the East right now and they showed why tonight,” Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving said. “They were playing team basketball and they won. They beat us tonight, fair and square.”
The Cavaliers (5-7) fell to 2-4 at home. They scored the game’s first 12 points and held a 26-8 lead less than eight minutes into the contest but collapsed over the last three quarters as their problems on offense and defense continued.
“We’re a very fragile team right now,” James admitted. “Any little adversity hits us, we just shell up. This is not even the lowest it can get for us.”
James was held to 15 points for the second time this week and was on the bench for the last six minutes. The four-time Most Valuable Player, reacquired by Cleveland after spending four successful seasons in Miami, has averaged just 18.5 points on just 41 percent shooting during the slide, well below his lofty standards.
Williams led the comeback by the Raptors, sinking 11-of-19 shots and 15-of-15 free throws. He sparked rallies in the second and third quarters, and Toronto pulled away in the second half.
“He changed the game when he came into the game. We lost the tempo that we had,” James said.
Williams came on late in the first quarter and scored 19 points in under eight minutes, helping Toronto close to 39-38. His three-pointer closed the half and gave the Raptors a 56-54 lead.
“I just wanted to come in and play my style of basketball - to come in with a lot of energy and create a spark,” he said.
Williams and Kyle Lowry combined to score Toronto’s last 11 points of the third quarter. DeMar DeRozan opened the final period with six straight points, opening a 91-73 lead for the Raptors.
James scored just four points in the second half and sat down for good with 6:20 to play. He made 6-of-12 shots and had 10 assists but also committed five of Cleveland’s 20 turnovers.
“I’m very positive, more positive than I thought I’d be right now,” James said. “I can’t be negative at all. Once I crack, it trickles down to everybody else. I would never do that to these guys.”
Lowry scored 23 points and DeRozan added 20 for the Raptors (11-2), who have won four in a row. Kevin Love scored 23 points and Kyrie Irving added 21 for the Cavaliers.
“I haven’t had a losing record in my career and will not have one here,” Cleveland coach David Blatt said.
Elsewhere:
Houston Rockets 95, Dallas Mavericks 92: James Harden scored five of his 32 points in the final 30 seconds as the host Rockets - playing without injured star centre Dwight Howard - stopped the Mavericks’ six-game winning streak. German juggernaut Dirk Nowitzki was held to 11 points on 4-of-18 shooting for Dallas.
New Orleans Pelicans 106, Utah Jazz 94: Anthony Davis scored a career-high 43 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the visiting Pelicans. Gordon Hayward scored 31 for the Jazz.
New York Knicks 91, Philadelphia 76ers 83: Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points for the host Knicks, who handed the winless 76ers their 13th straight loss.
Washington Wizards 111, Milwaukee Bucks 100: Paul Pierce scored 25 points and John Wall added 19 and nine assists for the visiting Wizards, who have won five of six. Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 20 points for the Bucks.
San Antonio Spurs 99, Brooklyn Nets 87: Tony Parker scored 22 points and Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green added 21 each as the host Spurs handed the Nets their sixth loss in seven games.
Miami Heat 99, Orlando Magic 92: Chris Bosh had 32 points and 10 rebounds and Mario Chalmers scored 24 points to offset 33 points and 17 boards by Montenegro’s Nikola Vucevic to lift the visiting Heat.
Phoenix Suns 106, Indiana Pacers 83: Former Pacer Gerald Green scored 23 points off the bench for the Suns, who improved to 4-1 on their six-game road trip. Indiana center Roy Hibbert sprained an ankle in the first quarter and did not return.
Sacramento Kings 113, Minnesota Timberwolves 101: DeMarcus Cousins totaled 31 points and 18 rebounds as the visiting Kings overcame 29 points by Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins and handed Minnesota its seventh loss in eight games.