INDIANAPOLIS — LeBron James stuck to the old script Sunday.
Again, he bailed out the Cleveland Cavaliers. And again, he sent the Indiana Pacers home for vacation.
On yet another milestone day for basketball’s king, James’ crowning achievement was making the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:08 to play and helping the defending champions hold on for a series-clinching 106-102 victory at Indiana.
“You have to mentally challenge yourself every year and go out and try to do what’s right — putting your body on the line, putting your team on the line and trying to be successful,” James said. “It’s very hard.”
But the four-time MVP makes it look easy. He finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks.
By winning his 21st consecutive first-round game, James broke a tie with Michael Cooper, Magic Johnson and James Worthy for the longest streak under the NBA’s current playoff format. By sweeping a series for the 10th time, James broke a tie with Tim Duncan for the most in a career, according to Elias Sports Bureau. By going 13 of 25 from the field, he pulled into a tie with Kobe Bryant for the fourth highest postseason field goal total with 2,014.
And by holding on for the victory, James improved to 52-0 in the playoffs when his team takes a double-digit lead into the fourth quarter.
James considered the milestones a footnote on a day the Cavs blew a 13-point lead and allowed the Pacers to come all the way back and take a 102-100 lead with 1:31 to go.
“They were giving it all they had,” James said. “Obviously, a loss would have ended their season. We just had to weather the storm once again.”
Of course that’s when James took the cue and came to the rescue.
He made the long three-pointer to give Cleveland the lead, poked the ball away from Young on the next possession, grabbed the rebound when Paul George missed a three-pointer with 1.9 seconds to go that could have forced overtime.
Kyrie Irving added 28 points and Deron Williams had 14 points.
Lance Stephenson led the Pacers with 22 points. George had a series-low 15. Jeff Teague scored 15 points. Myles Turner had 20 points and nine rebounds.
CELTICS 104, BULLS 95
CHICAGO — Isaiah Thomas scored 33 points, and the Boston Celtics beat the Chicago Bulls to tie their first-round playoff series at 2-2.
Boston blew a 20-point lead, but Thomas keyed a third-quarter run that put the Celtics back on top after Chicago briefly went ahead.
Gerald Green made four three-pointers on his way to 18 points, helping the top-seeded Celtics return the favor in Chicago after dropping the first two games at home.
Al Horford added 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Jimmy Butler carried the Bulls with 33 points and 9 assists. Bobby Portis (Arkansas Razorbacks) led the Bulls with 8 rebounds to go with 8 points on 4-of-7 shooting.
Sports on 04/24/2017