James carries Cavs to Finals

BOSTON – With another Game 7 victory at stake, LeBron James would not miss. He would not sit out. And he would not be denied an eighth straight trip to the NBA Finals.

The four-time league MVP scored 35 points with 15 rebounds and nine assists on Sunday night, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to an 87-79 win over the Celtics and eliminating Boston from the Eastern Conference finals in the decisive seventh game.

“It’s a heck of an accomplishment for our ball club,” said James. “It was a team effort. It’s a team game. My teammates played a great game.”

In the first close game of the series – and the lowest-scoring – James played all 48 minutes and had 12 of his points in the fourth quarter for his sixth straight Game 7 win.

“He’s the best player in the world,” said Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue. “He played 82 games in his 15th season. He’s unbelievable.”

The NBA Finals begin Thursday at either Houston or Golden State. The Rockets host the seventh game of the West finals on Monday night.

Jayson Tatum scored 24 for Boston, which was looking to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. Al Horford scored 17 points and Marcus Morris added 14 with 12 rebounds for the Celtics, who led 72-71 with six minutes remaining before the Cavaliers scored 15 of the next 17 points to pull away.

James and Horford embraced after the buzzer, then the Cavaliers donned NBA Finals hats and East-

ern conference championship shirts before shuffling off the court to receive their trophy.

It’s not the one they want. James had to do it without Kevin Love – Cleveland’s only other all-star – who sustained a concussion in Game 6 and was replaced in the lineup by Jeff Green. Making his first start since the first-round opener against Indiana, Green scored 19 points and added eight rebounds – the star of James’ starless supporting cast.

The Celtics have had more time to get used to their injuries: Gordon Hayward has been out since the first game of the season, and Kyrie Irving has been sidelined since March. With the rookie Tatum and second-year Jaylen Brown, Boston established itself as the team of the future in the East.

But the present still belongs to James.

And, for now, that means Cleveland, too.

ASSOCIATED PRESS LeBron James soars to the rim for a two-handled slam as Al Horford (42) and Marcus Morris look on during Game 7 of the East finals.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Cavaliers forward LeBron James embraces Celtics guard Terry Rozier after Cleveland beat Boston, 87-79, in the decisive Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday night.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James salutes after his team was presented the trophy for beating the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. James will be playing in his eighth straight NBA Finals.