Raptors carry recent surge into Cleveland

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Toronto Raptors have been playing great basketball of late and they will try to keep it going Tuesday night when they head to Quicken Loans Arena to face the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Raptors have won two straight and five of their last six. The only setback during that time was a home loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, but the Raps have dropped two of their last three on the road.

Toronto had little trouble dispatching the Orlando Magic Sunday night, winning by a final of 105-90.

Kyle Lowry didn't miss a shot in the game-altering third, scoring 17 of his 28 points in the frame. The Raptors won the period 36-24 to take command of the game.

DeMar DeRozan provided 24 points, Terrence Ross added 16 and Amir Johnson had 12 for the Raptors, whose 52.3 percent efficiency from the field offset 24 turnovers.

"We keep coming out sluggish and turn it on later," Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said. "We just have to be able to do it for the whole 48 minutes."

A Raptors win on Tuesday would clinch a winning record for a third consecutive month, a feat that hasn't happened since 2007.

The Cavs have dropped two in a row after a season-high six-game winning streak.

Cleveland's losing streak started in Toronto on Friday night when the Raps won by seven. On Monday, the Cavaliers fell to the hot Washington Wizards, 96-83 at home.

Luol Deng scored 17 points and newly-acquired Spencer Hawes added 16 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for the Cavaliers, who had a three-game home winning streak snapped.

Tristan Thompson also had a double-double in defeat with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Kyrie Irving donated 15 points in defeat.

"There are so many things we have to figure out -- new pieces, guys missing -- but we're not going to use that as an excuse. Time is of the essence right now, especially when we want to do something special here," Irving said.

The Cavs have held their opponents under 100 points for seven straight games, the longest stretch since a seven-gamer over the first two weeks of March in 2010.

The Raptors are 8-4 in their last 12 against the Cavaliers, but only 4-12 in their last 16 in Cleveland.