TORONTO -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have defeated the Toronto Raptors all three times they have met this season, including a 116-112 verdict on Monday night.

The teams do not meet again until the final game.

"I just hope it doesn't mean anything," Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said.

The three games have been decided by a total of 11 points, so it has not been easy for Cleveland.

This was a big one for the Cavaliers. Not only did the NBA champions clinch the season series against the team they defeated in the Eastern Conference finals last season, they also ended a three-game losing streak and Toronto's six-game winning streak.

"Things got tough down the stretch," Lue said. "And we just continued to keep playing. Stuck with the game plan. They made some tough shots, some lucky shots at times, but we just stayed with the game plan. We stayed the course. I loved our fight tonight."

LeBron James scored a season-best 34 points for the Cavaliers (14-5), and Kevin Love added 28 points and 14 rebounds.

"The game was flowing very well for me," James said. "It's always a tough place to play. Their fans are incredible and their team is very good and well-coached. It's absolutely tough to get a win in here; and, for us to be able to do that twice already, it's big for our team."

Tristan Thompson nabbed 14 rebounds and scored six points for the Cavaliers (14-5).

The Cavaliers led the Raptors (14-7) by nine points after three quarters and opened a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter when James hit a 3-pointer with 5:41 to play, but the Raptors cut the lead to four with two seconds left when Kyle Lowry hit three free throws.

Kyrie Irving added 24 points and Channing Frye had 10 off the bench for the Cavaliers.

"We have to play a perfect game to play a team like that," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "Whether it's a mental breakdown or whatever, not executing, not closing out properly, or to (DeAndre) Liggins in the corner, closing out too close and not understanding who he is and what he does, he's a driver. All those little things matter in the flow of the game."

DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 31 points and Lowry added 24 points and nine assists. Terrence Ross added 14 points off the bench and Patrick Patterson chipped in with 12 for Toronto.

"They came out aggressive," DeRozan said. "They got out in transition and got to the free-throw line. Guys started making shots for them and we were fighting from there."

The Raptors cut into the 15-point deficit and DeRozan's running layup trimmed the lead to 10 points with 4:04 to play.

The Raptors pulled within five points on Lowry's layup with 35.3 seconds remaining.

The Raptors had possession with 12.9 seconds to play. DeRozan was ruled to have been out of bounds when he made a shot from 3-point range.

Cleveland's J.R. Smith limped off the court to the locker room with 1:44 to play in the first quarter. He scored two points. He remained out with what was described as a left knee injury.

"He's going home tomorrow to get an evaluation, so I'm not sure on what it is," Lue said.

Lowry also went to the locker room during the first quarter after taking an elbow to the mouth. He returned late in the first after receiving treatment.

The Cavaliers led 62-61 at the intermission after DeAndre Liggins, who had five points in the game, made one of two free throws with 12.1 seconds left.

The Cavaliers scored the first six points of the third quarter, four by James, to take a 68-61 lead.

The Raptors trimmed the lead to three points before the Cavaliers came back to take a 10-point lead on a running layup by Love with 4:45 to play in the quarter.

After a Lowry miss, Love's sixth 3-pointer of the game boosted Cleveland's lead to 85-72.

DeRozan scored four points before Patterson hit a 3-pointer to chop Cleveland's lead to six.

Two free throws by Irving had the lead back to nine and Cleveland had a 90-81 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Ross made a 3-pointer to reduce the lead to five with 9:21 to play.

After Patterson was called for an offensive foul, James scored on a layup and made the free throw to give Cleveland a 104-92 lead with 6:53 to play.

NOTES: Cleveland G/F Mike Dunleavy (concussion protocol) returned to the lineup after missing two games. He was injured in a loss to Milwaukee on Nov. 29. ... Toronto G DeMar DeRozan played in his 542nd game with the Raptors to tie Morris Peterson as the franchise leader. DeRozan has missed only 37 games in his eight seasons with Toronto. ... This was the third game between the teams this season. They do not play again until April 12 at Cleveland in final regular-season game. ... The Raptors finish their six-game homestand Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. ... The Cavaliers conclude a three-game trip with a game against the New York Knicks on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.