The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
James leads Cavs over Celtics
James, Love help Cleveland build big early advantage.
Cavaliers forward LeBron James goes up for a shot against Celtics forward Amir Johnson (left) during the first quarter of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in Boston on Wednesday. James had 38 points, seven assists and nine rebounds in the 117-104 win.
LeBron James had 38 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Boston Celtics 117-104 on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Kevin Love added a playoff career-high 32 points and had 12 rebounds to help the Cavaliers improve to 9-0 in the first three rounds of the playoffs. They opened 10-0 last season en route to their first NBA title.
James scored at will in the first half and the Cavs built a 26-point lead. Love opened up the floor for James, burying outside jumpers and forcing Boston to leave defenders one-on-one with James.
Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder led the Celtics with 21 points each. Isaiah Thomas had 17 points. Boston missed 11 of its first 14 shots.
Game 2 is Friday night in Boston.
Love averaged a quiet 13.8 points in the first two rounds, then broke out against a Boston team that knocked him out of the 2015 playoffs when he became tangled with Kelly Olynyk and dislocated his shoulder.
The shoulder was working just fine Wednesday, and he scored in the paint and from the outside.
Things got a little testy in the third quarter when Boston’s Marcus Smart and Cleveland’s Tristan Thompson got nose-to-nose and had to be separated by referees. Some jawing continued briefly before James stepped in to pull Thompson away.
Smart and Thompson were called for double technical on the play, but got tangled again a few minutes later. This time, Smart fell to the floor during that exchange, drawing a foul on Thompson.
The Celtics found some energy after the incident, closing the third quarter on an 11-3 run to pull to 92-75.
It didn’t last long, though, as the Cavs quickly got the lead back up to 20.
The Cavs also held Thomas at bay. He was 3 for 11 overall and 1 for 4 from the 3-point line after 24 minutes.
Elsewhere
Hornets: All-Star point guard Kemba Walker had a minor arthroscopic procedure on his left knee and is expected to recover in six weeks. Walker averaged a career-high 23.2 points and 5.5 assists this season.
Bulls: Guard Denzel Valentine had arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle but is expected to recover in time to play for Chicago’s summer-league team.
Pistons: Jack McCloskey, the general manager who was the architect of Detroit’s back-to-back championship teams in 1989-90, is fighting Alzheimer’s.
McCloskey, 91, nicknamed “Trader Jack” for his many astute trades as the team’s general manager in 1979-92, is at Insignia Personal Care Home in Savannah, Ga., a facility that caters to Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.