Team effort carries Cavaliers to conference semifinals

The Indiana Pacers wore the Cavaliers down the last two weeks, but with the Quicken Loans Arena crowd screaming with every surge by the home team, the Cavs prevailed in Game 7 on April 29, 105-101.

The series sapped the Cavaliers mentally and physically. But they have to get right back to work on May 1 when they meet the Raptors in Toronto in the first game of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

LeBron James finished with a typical line in a big moment — 45 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. He was so exhausted he began cramping at the end of the third quarter and had to go to the locker room for treatment. Doctors suggested an IV. James suggested he didn’t need one and won the debate.

James returned, to the relief of everyone, with 8 minutes, 25 seconds remaining and with three minutes to go dived to break up a pass and batted the ball to J.R. Smith. He scored seven points in the fourth quarter.

If there was to be a true team effort in the series, this was it.

• Kevin Love ended his scoring funk, hitting four 3s and finished with 14 points.

He scored eight points in the fourth quarter when the Pacers refused to buckle.

• George Hill, out with a bad back the previous three games, came off the bench in the second half, ran the offense and made 9 of 11 free throws.

• Kyle Korver made only one 3-point shot, but his pass to James for an assist on a back-door layup with 30 seconds left to expand the Cavs lead to 102-96 was one of the most critical plays of the game.

The most unlikely hero, though, was the forgotten man, Tristan Thompson.

Thompson was a cog in three consecutive trips

to the NBA Finals, but he was a bench decoration for most of the series against the Pacers. Until Game 7. Coach Tyronn Lue surprised the Pacers by starting Thompson for the first time this series. The 6-foot-10 center set the tone early by crashing the boards and picking up points near the rim.

Thompson snared seven rebounds and scored six points in the first eight minutes while the Cavs were building a 19-9 lead. He finished with 10 rebounds and — whoever would have guessed it — was second on the Cavs in scoring with 15 points. He had five rebounds on each end of the floor.

“All series we were telling Tristan Thompson to be ready,” Lue said. “For

him to come in and start and perform the way he did was huge. Having 15 points and 10 rebounds — he hasn’t played all series, really — to step up in the fire of Game 7 was unbelievable.”

Thompson said staying sharp while gathering dust on the bench is what it means to be a pro.

“You never know,” he said. “It’s a long playoff journey. If I’m not on the court, I’m able to cheer my teammates on and be there mentally and stay locked in and focused. For me, it’s being active whenever my number’s called.”

James said the game ball should have been split down the middle so Thompson and Hill could share it.

In a rare moment of showing he is mortal,

James admitted being fatigued when asked about facing the Raptors in the next round.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m burned right now. I’m not thinking about Toronto until tomorrow. I’m ready to go home. I’m tired. I want to go home.”

If history is an indicator of what to expect, the Cavs should have an easier time eliminating Toronto. The Cavs were 1-3 vs. Indiana and 2-1 vs. the Raptors in the regular season.

And so we will have at least one more playoff series to appreciate and admire James before awaiting Decision II.

Reach Schudel at JSchudel@News-Herald. com. On Twitter: @jsproinsider

Jeff Schudel