Cavaliers reach desperation mode
Coach Tyronn Lue and the rest Cleveland’s know the team faces an urgent situation. The Cavs are in a dangerous spot.
Beaten for the third time in Boston in these homesweet-home Eastern Conference finals, Cleveland will face its second elimination game of the postseason tonight at home 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 on Wednesday night during a 96-83 win in Game 5 that was never in any doubt.
Despite shooting only 36 percent, the Celtics improved to 10- 0 at home in the playoffs as 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 early in Game 5 that James was dragging, but he’s confident the 33-year- old, who was chosen All-NBA first team for a record 12th time, will be ready to save his season and prolong what could be his final games with the Cavs.
“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 6-foot-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.”
Now Stevens needs his team to show that same tenacity on the road, where Boston is just 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 only times in what has been a transcendent 13th postseason, he couldn’t summon greatness.
Once again, James, who will play in his 99th game this season tonight, didn’t get nearly enough help. James had 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Solid, but sub-par by his standards and he committed six turnovers and missed some makeable layups. James still managed to outscore the rest of Cleveland’s starters — Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, George Hill and J.R. Smith — 26-24.
Lue inexplicably left Kyle Korver off the floor for long stretches and following the game he curiously explained that Stevens’ rotation “kind of threw us for a loop.”
Asked Thursday if he wished he had done anything differently, Lue bluntly said: “No.”
James has six 40-point games and two buzzerbeaters in these playoffs. LEBRON MAKES HISTORY » LeBron James was unanimously selected to the All-NBA first team for a record 12th time, while Houston’s James Harden also appeared on all 100 first- team ballots. They were joined on the first team by New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, the Warriors’ Kevin Durant and Portland’s Damian Lillard. James passed Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone with the 12th first-team selection of his 15-year career. He also was a second-team selection twice.
The second team was forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee and LaMarcus Aldridge of San Antonio, Philadelphia center Joel Embiid, and guards Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City and DeMar DeRozan of Toronto.
Injury absences sent the Warriors’ Stephen Curry to the third team. MAGIC TO INTERVIEW FORMER HORNETS COACH » The Orlando Magic will interview former Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford this week, The New York Times reported. Clifford, 56, served as a Magic assistant coach for five seasons during Stan Van Gundy’s tenure, from 2007 through 2012.