JAMES LIFTS CAVS TO HISTORIC RALLY
Cleveland’s amazing second half comeback stuns Pacers
LEBRON James led a second half assault as the Cleveland Cavaliers set a playoff record by storming back from a 25-point halftime deficit to defeat the Indiana Pacers 119-114 on Thursday.
James tallied 41 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for the Cavaliers, who seized a 3-0 lead in the best of seven Eastern Conference first-round series.
The Cavaliers were down by 25 points at halftime and as much as 26 at one point in the contest. They are the first playoff team in history to erase a 25-point halftime deficit and win.
James passed Kobe Bryant for number three on the league’s career playoff scoring list and tied another NBA record by winning his 20th consecutive first-round game.
James delivered 28 second-half points as he took over the contest in the fourth quarter in front of a crowd of 18,100 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse arena.
“They came out and jumped on us in the first half, but when we came into the locker room at halftime, I told the guys, ‘Let’s just get a couple of stops and see what happens,’” James said.
The 26-point comeback ties for the third largest in league playoff history and is the largest since 2012, when the Los Angeles Clippers came back from a 27-point deficit to beat the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Cavaliers scored 70 points to just 40 for the Pacers in the second half. Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Kyrie Irving and Channing Frye each scored 13 points for Cleveland while Kyle Korver added 12.
Indiana led by 10 after one quarter. They built a 50-36 lead with just under six minutes left in the second quarter and went on to lead 74-49 at the half.
The 74 first-half points are the Pacers’s most this season, surpassing the 68 they scored in the first half on April 8 at Orlando.
This is only the second time in Pacers’ franchise history that Indiana has trailed a playoff series 3-0 and George said it is in part because of poor communication.
“We came out in the second half with a 25-point lead and had a chance to put our foot on their throat,” said George.
“Instead, we came out relaxed and just allowed them to step into wide-open three-pointers.
In Memphis, guard Mike Conley scored 24 points and added eight assists as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the San Antonio Spurs 105-94 to get back into their series.
The Spurs lead 2-1. Their loss snapped a streak of 10 consecutive playoff wins over the Grizzlies.
Elsewhere, Khris Middleton scored 20 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 19, and Milwaukee’s defense did the rest as the Bucks eased past the Toronto Raptors 104-77. AFP