‘Selfless’ Baynes helps his Celtics to victory

ARON Baynes and his Boston Celtics handed the Cleveland Cavaliers a 25-point shellacking to claim game one of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

The Cavs’ perennial AllStar LeBron James entered the series averaging 34 points per game, but he had no answer for the Celtics’ stifling defence and free-flowing, unselfish offence.

The Celtics won 108-83 in Boston yesterday and were always in control of the game.

Baynes (pictured) had four points, eight rebounds, two steals and one block for the game. Celtics coach Brad Stevens went with forward Marcus Morris in the starting line-up to create a smaller, mobile line-up to combat the Cavs.

Stevens heaped praise on the “selfless” Baynes for his team-first attitude in accepting the decision.

“Being able to take him in and out of the line-up, he’s set a great example for everybody else,” Stevens said of Baynes.

Game two of the best-ofseven series is in Boston tomorrow.

■ THE Gold Coast Suns, with two Far North players in their squad, were kept goalless by a rampant Brisbane Lions team at Burpengary on Saturday.

Brisbane ran out 12.24 (96) to 0.4 (4) winners over the Suns, who posted the second lowest score in NEAFL history.

The Lions kicked six goals either side of halftime against a Gold Coast team with 11 AFLlisted players, including Peter Wright, Cairns Saints junior Jacob Heron and Kade Kolodjashnij.

Former AFL Cairns standouts Heron and Damien Burke featured for the Suns in the poor day for the club. ■ THE young and the old of Far North point guards faced off in Round 6 of the SEABL at Lauren Jackson Sports Centre on Saturday.

Deba George’s Albury Wodonga hosted Tamuri Wigness’ Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence with George finishing with the better statistics – but Wigness got the victory.

George led all scorers with 23, including four triples, but his side fell 74-92.

Wigness played just 17 minutes from the bench and added two points, two rebounds and three assists.