TORONTO -- LeBron James has a TV show on NBC. It's called "The Wall."

James likely does not watch a different NBC show, "This is Us," an evening drama depicting life for a blended, extended family as it goes through good times and bad over a period of decades.

What's the point here, you're asking?

James said the Cavs' current midseason lull, is, well, "this is just us during the regular season."

"I love our potential," James said Thursday, prior to the Cavs' morning shootaround in preparation to play the Raptors. "We have ... this is just us during the regular season. It's four years since I've been back and this has just been us. We have great months, we have not so good months, we have times when we're not playing well, we've got times when we are playing well. This is just us. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at times. But potential is always there."

The Cavs have lost five of seven and six of nine, and trail the Raptors by 2.5 games for second place in the East. Isaiah Thomas, a two-time All-Star point guard, will play just his fourth game tonight.

(Thomas actually said Wednesday that these lulls were unacceptable, but, then again, he hasn't been around until this season).

In each of Cleveland's first three seasons since James returned, the team has had one or more bad stretches. Each season ended in the Finals.

Last year, the Cavs went 7-8 in January and 6-10 in March. They ended up second in the East, choking away a four-game lead to Boston.

And of course lost just one game in the first three rounds of the playoffs.

"You never want to go into the postseason not playing good ball," James said. "But at the end of the day the seeds will take care of themselves. I just want us playing ball the right way. For the seeding, I can start a playoff game on the road personally and feel just as confident as if I was starting at home."