With their top scorer under the weather, Kyle Lowry put on a feel-good show to send the Toronto Raptors over the top, in a showdown of the Eastern Conference-best.
Lowry erupted for a career-high 43 points, including the tie-breaking jumper with 3.8 seconds left, lifting the Raptors to a rousing 99-97 victory over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
The Raptors received just six points from All-Star forward DeMar DeRozan, slowed down by flu-like symptoms.
“I knew he was sick for the last week and a half and tonight he hit the wall,” Lowry said. “That’s my guy, so at the end of the day I am always going to hold it down. Everyone stepped up tonight. It wasn’t just me.”
Terrence Ross scored 15 points, Jonas Valanciunas and Bismack Biyombo added 11 apiece for Toronto (39-18), which matched a franchise-record with its 10th consecutive home victory.
Toronto trailed by as many as 14 in the third quarter and nine in the fourth before Lowry led them back.
The All-Star guard netted 15 in the final frame, including a close-in basket, knotting the contest at 97-apiece with 51.9 seconds left.
The Raptors got the ball back after JR Smith missed a 3-pointer at the other end with 28.9 ticks to go. Lowry dribbled down the clock before splashing his step-back jumper over feisty Matthew Dellavedova.  
“I know he’s a great defender but for me it was just getting to the spot I needed to get to,” Lowry explained. “Once I got to the spot I was comfortable with, I just elevated over him.”
The Cavs had a final shot at the win and got the ball to LeBron James out of a timeout, but his rushed straight-away 3-point attempt fell well short of the basket at the buzzer.
James had 25 points and Kevin Love added 20 for the East-best Cavs (41-16), who lead the Raptors by two games.
“I got a decent look but that’s not why we lost the game,” James said. “When you lose the way we lost, it was mental mistake after mental mistake. That hurts more than anything. We lack mental (toughness), right now.”

Elsewhere:
LA Clippers 117, Sacramento Kings 107: Chris Paul poured in a season-high 40 points along with 13 assists with eight rebounds, carrying the visiting Clippers over the Kings.
Jeff Green added 22 points for the Clippers (38-20), who went on a 20-0 third-quarter blitz to break open the contest.
DeMarcus Cousins had 26 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists for the Kings (24-33), who have dropped 19 of 23 meetings in the series.
•Memphis Grizzlies 112, LA Lakers 95: PJ Hairston scored 21 points, Vince Carter hit five triples en route to a season-high 19, and the visiting Grizzlies (34-23) routed the Lakers for their 13th win in the last 17 games.
D’Angelo Russell had 22 points but Kobe Bryant sat out with a sore right shoulder as the West-worst Lakers (11-49) lost their eighth in a row and 22nd in the last 25.
•New York Knicks 108, Orlando Magic 95: Carmelo Anthony had 19 points, 11 rebounds, Kristaps Porzingis netted 18, and the struggling Knicks (25-35) beat the visiting Magic for just their third win in the last 16 games.
Nikola Vucevic paced Orlando (25-32) with 18 points
•Washington Wizards 103, Philadelphia 76ers 94: John Wall had 23 points with 11 assists, and the visiting Wizards (27-30) beat the Sixers for the eighth time in the last nine meetings.
Jahlil Okafor scored 21 points for the league-worst Sixers (8-50), who lost seven straight.
•Charlotte Hornets 96, Indiana Pacers 95: Kemba Walker hit the game-winning layup with 2.4 seconds left to cap a 22-point, 10-assist effort, lifting the visiting Hornets (30-27) over the Pacers.
Marvin Williams led Charlotte (30-27) with 26 points and 13 rebounds.
Paul George paced Indiana (31-27) with 32 points.
•Atlanta Hawks 103, Chicago Bulls 88: Jeff Teague scored 19 points, Al Horford added 18, and the host Hawks (32-27) stopped a three-game slide after bouncing the short-handed Bulls.
Chicago played without starters Jimmy Butler (left knee sprain), Derrick Rose (sore right hamstring) and Montenegrin Nikola Mirotic (appendicitis recovery).
Doug McDermott had 20 points while Spaniard and Pau Gasol added 16 with 17 rebounds for the Bulls (30-27), who had won their previous three games.
•Dallas Mavericks 122, Denver Nuggets 116 (OT): Raymond Felton’s jumper with 10.2 seconds in regulation sent the game into overtime, then added eight of his 16 points in the extra session, as the Mavericks stormed from 23 down to beat the visiting Nuggets.
 Chandler Parsons led Dallas (31-28) with 27 points, while German star Dirk Nowitzki had 20 with 13 rebounds.
Denver (23-36) was led by Will Barton’s 22 points.