Cavs beat Celtics, keep hopes alive

Los Angeles, May 26: LeBron James produced another epic playoff performance on Friday as the Cleveland Cavaliers stayed alive in the NBA playoffs with a 109- 99 victory over the Boston Celtics.

Trailing the Celtics 2- 3 and facing elimination in the Eastern Conference finals, the Cavaliers triumphed in a bruising encounter on their home floor to knot the best- ofseven series at 3- 3 and force game seven in Boston on Sunday.

In order to punch their ticket to a fourth straight NBA Finals, the Cavs will have to be the first team to win on the road in the series, and the first to beat Boston at home in this post- season.

“It feels good just to be able to play for another game,” said James, who has been to seven straight NBA Finals with Miami and Cleveland.

James poured in 46 points with 11 rebounds and nine assists. It was his seventh 40- point performance of the 2018 playoffs, tying Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan ( 1989) for second- most 40- point games in a single post- season behind the eight of Jerry West in 1965.

James also passed Karl Malone for sixth place alltime in playoff rebounds.

“Greatness,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said simply of James. “Championship pedigree, giving it his all.”

James scored 25 points in playing every minute of the first half, when the Cavaliers absorbed the blow of losing Kevin Love to a possible concussion and then out- scored the Celtics 34- 18 in the second quarter to take control of the game.

Cleveland led by as many as 16 in the third quarter, but the advantage was down to seven with 2: 47 to play when James unleased back- to- back three- pointers and converted a layup to push the Cavs lead back to 109- 96.

He departed the game with less than a minute remaining to a frenzied ovation.

“Best player in the game,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said of James.

Of the late three- pointers that doomed his team, Stevens said there was little more the Celtics could have done.

“Great defence by ( Jayson) Tatum, great shots by LeBron,” Stevens said.

“Tremendous. I thought the second was wasn’t quite as contested maybe as the first one. The first one, that was ridiculous,” he added further.