CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It wasn't easy, but the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Toronto Raptors, 105-101, and extend the season-long winning streak to eight games.

Trailing by as many as 14 during the game, the Cavs faced a seven-point deficit heading into the final 12 minutes. Cleveland had just played the night before against Brooklyn. It was the team's first game back after a three-game road trip. The Cavs had been pushed around for three quarters. But behind LeBron James and suffocating defense, the Cavs pulled out a win, snapping Toronto's 39-game winning streak when it took a lead into the final quarter.

"We did make a few adjustments on how we wanted to handle pick-and-roll," David Blatt said following the game. "It slowed them down a little bit and then in the fourth quarter we really amped up our defensive intensity. Toronto played a good basketball game tonight. They're a very, very good team and a very, very well coached team. That was a tough, hard victory."

LeBron James led the way with 35 points.

The Cavs have now beaten the East-leading Raptors twice during this winning streak. They have also beaten Washington during this stretch of stellar play.

On the season, the Cavs are now 7-3 against teams with a record above .500.

A few of the games during this run have been blowouts, with the Cavs winning by an average of 14.5 points. Tonight was a grind and the Cavs' responded when their backs were against the wall.

"There is some precedent for that within this mini streak," Blatt said. "We played a really good team tonight and we were down because they were good. No excuses. They came out in the first half blazing. We scored 55 points in the first half, but we couldn't stop them. They were nothing short of great in the first half."

Here are five observations from the win against the Raptors on Tuesday:

Welcome back, Delly – The final box score wasn't much. Six points. Three rebounds. Five assists. But Matthew Dellavedova had his pesky fingerprints all over the Cavs' win against Toronto.

"We've been waiting for Matty to come back," Blatt admitted. "He's a big part of what we do. He gives us a steady hand off the bench. He gives us great energy and activity on the defensive end and he plays simple and smart on the offensive end. Given that this was only his second game back and he's been out for more than four weeks, his performance was just outstanding against very, very high-level NBA guards."

After having his minutes restricted Monday night against Brooklyn in his first game back from a knee injury, the handcuffs were off Dellavedova as he played 21 minutes, including the entire fourth quarter. It was his calling card, defense, that helped the Cavs rally late.

"He's just scrappy, man," James said. "Delly is a guy that's always been counted out. Saying he can't make it, he can't do this, he can't shoot enough, not fast enough, not tall enough. One thing about it: Heart and effort will take a way a lot of the things that you cannot do. I'll take a guy like that any day on my team."

James believes Dellavedova reminds him of a former teammate that helped the Heat win two titles.

"I had Norris Cole on my team in Miami," James said. "He was the same type of guy. We called him the pit bull. You just put him out there on anybody and he's always going to be successful and know you can never discredit how he goes about the game and how hard he plays. You put him out there for 20 seconds and it will be the hardest 20 seconds he ever played, like he'll never play again... Everything they do won't show up in the box score but teammates and people that know the game know he made an impact."

Dellavedova was floored when he heard about the praise he received from James.

"That's the highest compliment you can pay a teammate," he said. "It really means a lot to me."

Dellavedova was everywhere in the fourth quarter. He guarded Kyle Lowry, who shot 1-of-8 in the final 12 minutes and 6-of-18 on the night. He fronted the bigger Patrick Patterson in the post. He matched up with James Johnson at times and contested shots from Terrence Ross.

He took charges, dove on the floor for loose balls, hit some big shots and made a pair of slick passes to Tristan Thompson, which led to the first four points of the fourth quarter.

Most of all, he frustrated the Raptors.

"That's what I try to do each time I come in," Dellavedova said. "Every time I'm out there I just try to do whatever it takes to win, do whatever we need."

He did that and more. Irving couldn't hold back his smile when asked about the man who occupies the locker next to him.

"He's incredible," Irving said. "He's awesome. We have developed such a great relationship. Having my brother back out there. Knowing what you're going to get from him every night is 150 percent. Incredible professional and incredible teammate to have. I know everyone in this locker room appreciates him. I'm just glad we have him back."

Dellavedova plays with a chip on his shoulder. He knows toughness, defense and energy are things expected of him. He's been cut from teams. He went undrafted, which Delly considers the same as getting cut. Those things won't soon be forgotten.

"Growing up you always hear the story of Michael Jordan getting cut from his high school team," Dellavedova said after the game. "I still remember getting cut at my Under-12 team and never wanting to have that feeling again. It's going to happen again and again and it's about how you deal with bad and a lot of success. Just working. In the end it's going to pay off. If not in the specific thing you are doing, it's going to pay off in something else down the road."

It's earned him a prime spot in Blatt's rotation. If people were wondering early in the year why Blatt chooses Delly to close out games, Tuesday highlighted the reasons. Rebounds. Energy. Defense. He knows how to play and makes a difference. Many of the Cavs' best lineups this season have featured him, and it's not by coincidence.

"He's non-stop," Kevin Love said. "We love him. He's great. He takes charges, will guard anyone one through five and do anything he can."

Extra man – The Cavs and Raptors were both playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Cleveland was fresh off a three-game road trip and dealing with the circus in Brooklyn last night. There were lots of reasons to think the energy wouldn't be there in the fourth quarter.

But Cleveland's advantage was the hometown crowd, which had very little to cheer about through three quarters. As the rally started, the crowd came alive.

"Our crowd was great tonight," Blatt said. "The arena was rocking and our fans had a lot to do with us winning tonight."

Cavs are now 4-2 on the second night of back-to-backs.

"Just having that resiliency to keep fighting," Irving said. "Kept getting it within six and they kept hitting us back. They had the lead for most of the game, but we buckled down, went on a 20-6 run and kept at it."

2011 draft picks – The Cavs surprised a lot of people in 2011 when they selected Tristan Thompson with the fourth pick in the draft. The Cavs knew he wouldn't be an All-Star, but they also believed he wouldn't fail. He works too hard, hustles and rebounds very well despite being a bit undersized.

The other player in consideration was Jonas Valanciunas. Every time the Cavs play the Raptors there are flashbacks to the shocking draft night decision and reminders of what could have been. The two will be compared throughout their careers.

The first three quarters belonged to the tough and rugged Valanciunas. He was defending, pulling down rebounds and scoring inside with ease. He had 18 points and 14 rebounds and was a big part of the Raptors having 50 points in the paint.

Meanwhile, Thompson had a measly three points and two rebounds. He was getting pushed around. But that changed in the fourth quarter.

Thompson was energetic and rolled to the basket with purpose on offense. He scored five points in the quarter and nabbed six rebounds, including three on the offensive glass.

"I think Tristan has been consistently good this year," Blatt said. "He's a guy that we can always depend on to be there. Same with Andy. Those are guys that when you pen their name in you know they're going to be there for you. They're not going to be your kings and queens, but they're going to be pieces that help you win."

One of Thompson's biggest plays came late in the game. With under a minute left and the Cavs leading by three, Thompson switched onto Lowry, Toronto's leading scorer.

Sticking right with him, Thompson forced Lowry to toss a shot-clock beating prayer. The ball ping-ponged on the top of the backboard before falling out of bounds.

"That's what he does," Irving said. "Last year he led the league in switching off on guards and guarding them. Just an impressive big man. He kept yelling, 'That's what I do!' We all like, 'Yeah, Tristan, absolutely man. That's what you do"

Valanciunas won the night, but the fourth quarter, money time, belonged to Thompson, holding Valanciunas without a shot attempt while he finished with one more rebound, pushing his total to 15.

A 4th Quarter to remember – Trailing by seven points heading into the final quarter, it looked like the Cavs flipped a switch. It wasn't about Cleveland's offense. It was about the defense, which held Toronto to 13 points in the final quarter.

"Came into halftime and watched clips," Irving said. "Came out and got stops in the fourth quarter and it finally clicked. Some games it's going to happen like that. The only thing matters is that W in that column."

The Cavs finished the game on a 20-6 run in the final 6:09 and held the Raptors to four points in the paint after they had 50 in the first three quarters.

"It was spectacular," James said of the team's defense. "We needed every stop. We needed one of those quarters and that's why we won the game."

The Cavs also forced four turnovers and held Toronto to 6-of-20 from the field.

"Really just getting back," Love said of the changes in the fourth quarter. "They had so many layups in the first half. It was just a defensive breakdown, especially in transition and little shovel passes inside where they were getting layups. We made the adjustment when we needed to. I guess better late than never."

Another highlight was James' three-point dagger, which came off an offensive rebound, one of the five the Cavs had in the quarter.

The Cavs hustled and fought so hard for that extra possession and James delivered the three from the top of the key that tied him for the franchise lead in three-point makes with Mark Price.

"For a guy who came into the NBA as a non-shooter, I've worked on my game a little bit over the years," James said. "It means a lot. It means even more when you're able to do it and have it mean something to the team, help the team out."

Toronto never regained the lead and James turned to the crowd and shouted, "That's what I came here for!"

Following the game, Price congratulated James on Twitter.

Congrats @KingJames on tying my Cavs record for most 3 pointers made. I will enjoy sharing the top spot at least till you break it next game — Mark Price (@Mark25Price) December 10, 2014

"LeBron was there for us throughout the whole game," Blatt said. "I think in the bad moments that sort of kept us from losing our way completely. Then in the good moments he obviously pulled us over the top. He had a very consistent and outstanding performance pretty much from the get-go tonight."

Charity stripe success – Close games can often come down to free throws and that was a story for the Cavs on Tuesday.

They made 18-of-21 on the night, including 10-of-11 in a tightly contested fourth quarter. James made all nine of his and Irving made a pair to ice the game. The Raptors had success as well, making 10-of-10, but didn't have an attempt in the final quarter. The Cavs' aggression put the Raptors in foul trouble late.