With 3:17 remaining in the third quarter and his Cavaliers down by seven, LeBron James took a charge on Jakob Poeltl. On the surface, there was nothing special about this play. Basketball players make basketball plays, and taking a charge is as selfless of a basketball play as someone can make.

The thing is, the way the Cavs reacted after James took that charge made it seem as though they had just won the NBA Finals. The bench collectively jumped out of their seats. The Quicken Loans Arena erupted with applause. LeBron himself hopped up with energy and excitement. It was the play the Cavaliers needed all game long.

Maybe all season long.

The Cavaliers trailed by as many as 15 points in the second quarter. They gave up 79 points in the first half, the most-ever by a LeBron James team. But they looked like a rejuvenated basketball team after James absorbed the contact from Poeltl’s drive. They trailed by 15 to end the first half but threw haymakers at the Raptors in the third quarter.

Cleveland eventually completed its comeback, defeating Toronto, 132-129. It was their first victory over a major playoff opponent since they defeated the Celtics then the Thunder just before the All-Star break.

LeBron’s charge taken wasn’t solely responsible for Cleveland’s massive second-half comeback. He finished with an amazing stat line of 34 points, 17 assists, seven rebounds and zero turnovers. Only 15 players in NBA history have had more than 17 assists without turning the ball over.

James absolutely took over in the fourth. He scored 14 points on three-of-four shooting from the field, draining seven of his nine free throw attempts. When he blew right by Jakob Poeltl for a vicious dunk midway through the quarter, there was little doubt in anyone’s mind. He was going to see this one all the way through.

Kevin Love also came up huge in his second game back from a hand injury with 23 points and 12 rebounds, including a clutch three with 27 seconds left to put the Cavs up by four.

George Hill had 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting. In all, the entire Cavaliers starting five scored in double figures. And they defeated a Raptors team with a firm hold on the East’s No. 1 seed.

But Cleveland’s wild second-half comeback started and ended with LeBron James. And that charge, as basic as it was on the surface, was a springboard for Cleveland’s beautiful second half.

It may have been the springboard the Cavaliers needed to catapult them into a deep postseason run.