LEBRON JAMES had 28 points and 14 assists, Kyrie Irving scored 24 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Toronto Raptors 121-117 Tuesday night to match the best start in franchise history after 10 games.

    Kevin Love added 19 points and 13 rebounds as the Cavs are 9-1 for the first time since 1976-77.

    With the NBA’s triple-doubles king Oscar Robertson sitting courtside, James nearly notched what would’ve been his 44th career triple-double with 28 points, nine rebounds and 14 assists (tied a season high).

    It was James’ 97th “triple-double” in which he was within two or fewer rebounds or assists of 10.

    “I saw him during our warm-ups and I always got to go pay my respect when he’s in the building, him or Jim (Brown),” James said of Robertson, who once averaged a triple-double for an entire season and is the league’s all-time leader with 181.

    “It’s a humbling feeling to know that a guy like that take time out of his schedule, take time out of his day, to come watch me, watch our team play the game that we love. So, it’s just humbling.”

    Kyrie Irving scored 10 of his 24 in the final quarter. Channing Frye, remaining on his torrid streak, chipped in 21 points off the bench. Tristan Thompson tied a season high with 15 points to go with 11 boards.

    Toronto’s two All-Stars, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, paced the Raptors with 28 and 26 points, respectively.

    The game’s frenetic final two minutes were stuffed with fouls, a technical, and missed free throws that could’ve swung the outcome in either direction.

    Raptors coach Dwane Casey was slapped with a technical for screaming about a foul called on Lowry against Love with 1:39 left and the Raptors ahead by one (Casey had a point). Irving missed the technical foul shot (his second miss on a technical in the game), and Love missed one of two foul shots.

    (SD-Agencies)