For James and Cavaliers, it’s win or go home
CLEVELAND — Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue was answering a question about Boston’s defense on LeBron James during a teleconference when he tripped the security system at his home.
A piercing alarm sounded. “Uh-oh,” Lue said Thursday as he punched in a code to silence the screaming siren.
While Lue and his home were clearly safe, and the lighthearted moment passed quickly, it was also symbolic of Cleveland’s urgent situation.
The Cavs are in a dangerous spot.
Beaten for the third time in Boston in these home-sweethome Eastern Conference finals, Cleveland will face its second elimination game of the postseason Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena. Game 6 is for everything. Except, of course, if there’s a Game 7 on Sunday in Boston.
Fueled by fueled-up Boston fans who must feel some sort of birthright to see their cherished team play in the Finals, the youthful Celtics again showed
zero fear or hesitation on their parquet floor Wednesday night during a 96-83 win in Game 5 that was not in any doubt.
Despite shooting 36 percent, the Celtics improved to 10-0 at home in the playoffs as head coach Brad Stevens changed his starting lineup, shortened his rotation to seven and released waves of defenders at James, who looked worn down as he attempts to advance to the NBA Finals for the eighth consecutive year.
Lue noticed James was dragging early in Game 5, but he’s confident the 33-year-old will be ready to save his season.
“I know he’ll be ready to play Game 6, so fatigue won’t be a problem and an issue,” Lue said. “I’m pretty sure a lot of guys are tired during this stretch of the year. If I had to pick one guy and choose one guy to prevail, it would be LeBron. I know he’ll be great come tomorrow.”
Stevens started center Aron Baynes for the first time in the series and the move helped slow James, who had been crushing the Celtics when guard Terry Rozier switched on him. Rozier fronted James and got help from Baynes, the 6foot-10, 254-pound Australian who contributed seven rebounds, six points and attitude.
“We’ve got a lot of tough guys on our team,” Stevens said. “But I think they all will tell you Baynes is one of the toughest we’ve all been around.”
Stevens needs his team to show that same tenacity on the road, where Boston is 1-6. The Cavs, on the other hand, are counting on James to rebound.
He pushed as hard as he could in Game 5, but for one of the few times in what has been a transcendent 13th postseason, he couldn’t summon greatness.
He didn’t have his usual burst. He bent at the waist, grabbing his shorts, his breathing labored. During timeouts, he wiped sweat and perhaps some frustration from his forehead.
James, who has six 40-point games and two buzzer-beaters in these playoffs, has saved Cleveland’s season once already this spring, playing through cramps and scoring 45 points in a Game 7 win over Indiana. But he has played nine games since then, and has gotten less and less rest as the playoffs have progressed.