Cleveland Cavaliers building confidence with every win: ‘There’s something

TORONTO — Who doesn’t love a good underdog story?

A few weeks ago, one of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ assistant coaches quipped about the team’s diabolical early-season schedule.

“At least, they gave us some easy ones out of the gate,” he said with a sarcastic look.

Friday was the first time they played against an opponent that didn’t make last year’s Play-In Tournament or Playoffs. And the Toronto Raptors are hardly a gimme, entering the night with a 6-3 record while riding a five-game winning streak. According to oddsmakers, the Cavs were 5.5-point underdogs, making it in the 10th straight game the opponent was favored.

Despite one of the league’s toughest schedules — and an inexperienced starting lineup that isn’t even 22 years old on average — the Cavs are 6-4. They’ve won three in a row.

These aren’t fluky wins either. Home versus Portland and Atlanta. On the road in Denver, Los Angeles (Clippers), Charlotte and Toronto.

It’s no wonder the Cavaliers confidently walked out of raucous Scotiabank Arena Friday night.

“There’s something special brewing in that locker room,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said following the 102-101 come-from-behind win. “Everybody wants to be a part of it.”

Of their six wins, Friday might have been the most improbable. The Cavs had no business coming out on top. Even Bickerstaff was perplexed.

“It’s hard to believe,” he said.

They led for 4.8 seconds. They turned the ball over a whopping 19 times, including 16 in the first three quarters. Gave up 19 offensive rebounds. Players not named Cedi Osman combined for just 1-of-9 3-point shooting in the first half. Veteran Ricky Rubio — the only player over age 28 able to suit up and see the floor while Kevin Love remains in the league’s health and safety protocols — was in foul trouble for most of the night, limiting him to a season-low 22 minutes. Three players missing from the every-night rotation. Collin Sexton with one of his worst individual performances, nearly imploding on a late-game possession. Down by 15 at one point. Behind by six entering the fourth quarter. Down five in the final two minutes. Ugly at times.

But they found a way, responding to Bickerstaff’s halftime challenge about picking up the intensity and not allowing the Raptors to win the scrap.

“We could have folded knowing we were down literally the whole game but we stayed in it until the end,” Jarrett Allen said. “It’s a lot of fun to play with these guys. Everybody is super talented; nobody is selfish on this team. We could have gone towards the end of the game and played one-on-one. But we kept sharing the ball, kept hitting the right person and it just makes it fun to play together as a team. It makes it easier to work hard.”

Everyone had a part in Friday’s win. There’s a teamwide understanding — and acceptance — of roles.

Garland, who has stepped to the forefront as a leader, scored 12 of his team-high 21 points in the fourth quarter. That includes two critical free throws, which gave Cleveland its only lead.

After a lousy first half, Garland played with force — and aggressiveness — that repeatedly put the Raptors’ smothering, physical,…