TORONTO -- LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers like the taste of blood.
The Cavs won their 12th consecutive closeout game, beating the Toronto Raptors by a 109-102 margin Sunday and tying an NBA record they now share with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2000-04. They’re now owners of six sweeps in the past three postseasons. No team had done that since the league went to seven-game series in all rounds in 2003.
It’s just crushing elimination efficiency, and the reason is James, who dropped the coup de grace by playing the entire second half to assure a week off before the Eastern Conference finals with 35 points, nine rebounds and six assists.