The decision to cancel Thursday's exhibition game between the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers is being supported by the NBA.

"It happens, and players' safety is paramount," Brian McIntyre, the NBA's senior vice-president of sports communications, said yesterday in an interview. McIntyre said there would be no repercussions against the Raptors because of the cancellation, which left about 8,000 basketball fans at the soldout Mile One Stadium hooting in derision."