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TORONTO - In a play that sort of typified the evening and maybe even their season, Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry led a second-quarter fast break by delivering a one-handed bounce pass to Greivis Vasquez, who lateraled to the trailing Amir Johnson. Johnson, the beneficiary of a couple perfectly placed passes, capped off the sequence with a tomahawk slam that put Toronto on top by 20 points. Fouled on the landing, Johnsons momentum carried him into the first row, where he proudly pointed to the team name on his jersey and slapped hands with fans seated on the baseline. It was that kind of night. The proceedings began with the unveiling of a second Atlantic Division Championship banner and concluded with a well-deserved standing ovation just over two hours later. The Raptors - trotting off the court following a 110-100, wire-to-wire win over the Bucks - had set a new franchise record with their 48th victory of the season, while also going 15 games above the .500 mark for the first time in team history. "Its definitely great because we fed off our fans," said DeMar DeRozan, who stood centre court and counted down from three, as the banner was uncovered from the rafters atop Air Canada Centre, hanging adjacent to the one they had earned in 2006-07. The final home game of the season - Fanapolooza, as its been dubbed - had been a somber event for five years running. It was an opportunity for the Raptors loyal, albeit frustrated supporters to come bid farewell to a team that had let them down, a chance to vent their disappointment but mostly to guzzle up free t-shirts, pizza and whatever swag the remorseful organization was offering up. Most importantly, it meant the end of basketball in Toronto for another long summer. Not the case on Monday. Monday night was a celebration, a show of appreciation from a starved fan base to a team that has captured their admiration with resilience and hard play. It was a night of reflection, looking back at where they came from and rejoicing in what theyve accomplished. It wasnt a goodbye. Theyll see them again in five or six days. "Weve got to have some of the most devoted fans in the league," he continued. "Ive been here through the struggles and tough times and our fans were still right there with us on this journey. So it definitely felt good to share it with them because they played a major part in it as well." Although DeRozan was in uniform, available to play if it would have come to that, he was given the night off to rest going into his playoff debut next weekend. As it turns out, they didnt need him, not against the league-worst Bucks on Monday night. It was the 11th time theyve played without a member of their first unit - a group that has won more games than any starting five in franchise history - and the 11th time theyve come away victorious. With the Raptors all-star guard cheerleading from the sidelines, Greivis Vasquez started in his stead, pacing the team with 25 points and seven assists. "It was a fun win," said Vasquez, who knocked down his first six shots, five of them from beyond the arc. "They gave me a chance to start, I just went out there and did my job." Performances like his, like Tyler Hansbroughs double-double in 20 minutes, are a big part of whats gotten them to this point. DeRozan has carried this team more often than not, so too has Lowry - who scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half - but when one or both have needed it, someone has generally been waiting and ready to back them up. "All it takes is the right chemistry, the right group of guys and you can do whatever it takes," DeRozan said. "You dont need no big name players, you dont need this, that and the third, what people supposedly say you need. Were proof of that and we continue to keep growing, keep learning and keep building. On to the next step." The next step, as the Raptors leading scorer puts it, is Wednesdays regular season finale in New York. With a win over the Knicks, Toronto would lock down the Eastern Conferences third seed and face whomever slots into sixth, most likely Washington. The Raptors would fall to fourth and play the fifth place team - likely Brooklyn - if they should lose on Wednesday and the Bulls defeat the Bobcats in Charlotte. "Im more worried about us, more so than who we play," said Casey. "Its about us, about our health, the rest, whatever we decide to do in that situation. If we play Brooklyn we play Brooklyn. If we play Washington we play Washington. There are no easy teams left in the playoffs right now. All of the teams are very capable. Brooklyn is probably more playoff-ready. But we cant control that. And Im not going into [Wednesdays] game trying to control that." The Raptors coach said he has not decided whether DeRozan - second in the NBA in minutes logged this year - will play in Wednesdays season finale. Home sweet home The Raptors will finish the season with 26 wins at home for the fourth time in franchise history. After dropping eight of their first 12 games at the ACC, they have become one of the toughest teams to beat on home court, winning 22 of 29 since the end of December. "Coach definitely stressed to us, weve got to protect home court," DeRozan said of the turnaround. "Thats big. We cant let teams come in here and think they can get wins. We really started taking it personally, understanding weve got to use our crowd to our advantage. Everybody bought in, so every time we were home we felt comfortable and felt that we could get any win." "I think our guys have gotten better, matured, improved, I think more than anything else," Dwane Casey said of their success at home. "You should have the same approach whether youre on the road, playing on the moon, wherever youre playing youve got to have the same approach and our guys have done a good job of that, whether were on the road or at home." They were undefeated, 19-0 in games they led going into the fourth quarter in Toronto, something that should serve them well as they go into the first round of the playoffs with home-court advantage. The stat With their fourth straight win over Milwaukee, the Raptors swept the season series with the Bucks for the first time in team existence. The quote "We had group at the start of the season that was motivated, dedicated to winning," said Lowry, "and when everything didnt pan out we made a move and we got a group of guys who came in that really filled the voids that we needed. Everyone is on the same page. 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Cheap Shoes Black Friday . -- Michigan coach John Beilein is willing to give Nik Stauskas a little leeway when it comes to shot selection.LeBron James looked over his shoulder, almost in disbelief.This isnt what he — or anyone else — imagined for the Cavaliers.As Utahs Gordon Hayward was mobbed by teammates after hitting a fadeaway shot over the outstretched arm of Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson at the buzzer to beat Cleveland 102-100 on Wednesday night, James peered back incredulously at the celebration one last time. He shook his head and walked to the locker room after a second stunning loss in 24 hours.The Cavs: James, fellow All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, picked by Vegas oddsmakers to win it all, are 1-3 and look nothing like championship contenders.Four games into the season, they are not gelling and something of a mess.Rome wasnt built in a day, James said.Neither are NBA title teams.Just a week into the season, the Cavaliers have major chemistry issues, a motionless offence and defensive holes they might not be able to address without making a trade or two. Rookie coach David Blatt has preached patience, but has already toyed with his starting lineup, replacing guard Dion Waiters with veteran Shawn Marion.One day after James played passively in a loss at Portland to prove a point to his young teammates, Cleveland tied a franchise record with just six assists against Utah. According to STATS LLC, the six assists are the fewest in a game for any NBA team scoring at least 100 points since 1985-86.Theres no way you can win a basketball game like that, just having six assists, said James, who had four of the six assists. We just cant win like that. We have to figure out a way to help each other and not make it so tough.And while some Cleveland fans are troubled by the slow start, James seems to be taking it in stride, posting a message on his Twitter page Thursday.James wrote: In the words of the great @AaronRodgers12 RELAX.Irving scored 34 points against the Jazz, but Clevelands starting point guard did not record an assist in 45 minutes — an alarming statistic for a player supposedly running his teams offence. Irvings performance came after James, without naming names, pointed toward some teammates playing selfishly in the 19-point loss to the Trail Blazers.Theres a lot of bad habits, a lot of bad habits been built up the past couple years, James said.Irving did speak with reporters following the loss in Portland, which included another statistical anomaly: James did not sccore in the second half.ddddddddddddJames is conflicted. Hes trying to decide whether to carry the Cavs or let them learn tough lessons through losses. The easy solution would be for the four-time MVP to take over games the way he used to, but James has a long-term vision for the Cavs.Hes willing to accept failure as long as it stimulates growth.I still got to figure out ways to get my teammates involved, too, James said after scoring 31 points, including Clevelands final six, in the loss to the Jazz. Cause it just cant be a one-, two- or three-man show. We have to do it together.Hes been through this before. When James joined Miami in 2010, the Heat ended up in the finals but started 9-8. James was subjected to the same scrutiny hes enduring now except he said there was anger behind the questions. This time around, the inquiries are less emotional but equally direct: Whats going on?For starters, James is still learning how to play with his new teammates and vice versa. There have been some sloppy moments as James, Love and Irving mesh after not being on the court together much in the preseason. The timing will come, but its going to take time.The Cavs, who play at Denver on Friday, have been atrocious defensively. Theyre giving up wide-open shots and their interior rotations were too slow against the Jazz, who scored 46 points in the paint and outrebounded the Cavs 41-30.Were going to get every teams best shot and weve got to understand weve got to play defence, Marion said. Weve got to guard somebody. Its easy to get points, but if you dont play defence youre not going to give yourself a chance.Blatts offence, based on the precise cutting and screening principles he learned while playing guard at Princeton, isnt working. The Cavs are standing and watching each other. Theyre not moving the ball in search of a better shot. There have been flashes, not nearly enough.Back when he announced his return to Cleveland, James cautioned the Cavs would face challenges. In his Sports Illustrated essay, James forecast failing would be part of the path to a title.Im not promising a championship, he said in July. I know how hard that is to deliver. Were not ready right now. No way. Of course, I want to win next year, but Im realistic. It will be a long process, much longer than it was in 2010. My patience will get tested.Perhaps sooner than he thought. ' ' '