TORONTO -- LeBron James sounded like an arbiter in the Kevin Love-center debate.

The Cavs want Love to play the five, especially against the Toronto Raptors, for maximum floor spacing.

Love would rather play power forward so someone else, like Tristan Thompson, can bang bodies with bruising Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas.

Ahead of Game 2 of this Eastern semifinal, coach Tyronn Lue said Love is staying at center, even though Game 1 didn't go well for him (went OK for the Cavs, they won 113-112 in overtime). It appears the Cavs will use the same starting lineup of James, Love, George Hill, JR Smith and Kyle Korver, with Thompson and Jeff Green as their top two reserves.

James says "it's a fine line" between playing the lineup Lue likes and allowing Love to be comfortable, but James said Lue has listened to Love, too.

"We've been very successful with Kev at the 5, but we have to listen to what Kev needs as well," James said. "If there's times throughout the postseason or a game where he's feeling a little worn down because he's battling with a lot of bigs, then we've got to make the substitution properly. I think Coach Lue has done that, obviously with the start of Game 7, being able to start Double T at the five and allow Kev to play his natural position.

"We're going to do what's best for the team, but also we also want to do what's best for our All-Star as well. I think the coaching staff has done a great job of that."

Love was 3-of-13 shooting in Game 1 and has struggled for virtually all of the postseason to shoot. Valanciunas bruised Love for 11 of his 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting.

But, as James mentioned, Thompson started at center for Game 7 of the last series against the Pacers. Love shot 5-of-13 in that game. Lue also used Thompson and Green against Valanciunas as the game wore on in Game 1 of this series.