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’s crowning achievement was making the go-ahead 3-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 win, 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 3 to give Cleveland the lead, poked the ball away from Young on the next possession, grabbed the rebound when Paul George missed a 3 with 1.9 seconds to go that could have forced overtime and, of course, made 1 of 2 free throws to seal the win.
Now Cleveland takes a seven-game winning streak into the conference semifinals against either Milwaukee or Toronto.
For Indiana, it will go down as yet another tormenting chapter in their rivalry with James.
James’s teams have eliminated the Pacers four times in six years and completed the first-four game sweep in Indiana’s NBA history. Cleveland finished the season 7-1 against the Pacers, winning the last four with a defensive stand, a rare 25-point game from three players, the largest second-half comeback in playoff history and now James’ knockout punch.
Lance Stephenson led the Pacers with 22 points. George had a series-low 15.
“It’s real frustrating to continue on losing to the same team or same person,” George said. “Ultimately, he (James) is who I’m always going to have to see and face.”
The Pacers sure didn’t make it easy, though.
They charged back from a 96-83 deficit with a 7-0 spurt early in the in the fourth quarter. Then they methodically continued chipping away until Young tied the score at 100 and then gave them the lead.
But James answered with the go-ahead 3.
Cavaliers: Improved to 8-0 when taking a 3-0 series lead. … Kyrie Irving added 28 points, Deron Williams added 14 and Kevin Love had 16 rebounds. … Tristan Thompson grabbed 11 rebounds, giving at least 10 in all four games.
Pacers: Have lost five straight postseason games and six of their last eight. … Indiana lost the four games by a total of 16 points, tying the smallest margin in a four-game sweep in league history. … Teague scored 15 points and was the catalyst in the final spurt, including blocking one of James’s shots. …Myles Turner had 20 points and nine rebounds, while Young had 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Now the Pacers’ attention turns to the future of George, the 26-year-old All-Star who can become a free agent in 2018. He didn’t drop any hints about which way he’s leaning after the game and there has been rampant speculation he could be traded this summer.
“I’m not at that point yet. Next question,” George said.
OKLAHOMA CITY – James Harden’s shot was off, and one of the most unlikely players on Houston’s roster came to the rescue.
Nene scored 28 points on perfect shooting from the field, and the Rockets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
The 6-foot-11 center from Brazil made all 12 of his shots and had 10 rebounds. It was an impressive performance from a reserve who averaged about nine points per game in the regular season.
“He puts the work in,” Harden said. “He’s a true vet. He’s in the weight room. He’ doing all the proper things to get his body and his mind right to go out there and compete at a high level every single night. Tonight, it paid off.”
Harden finished with 16 points on 5-for-16 shooting, but he had other help, too. Eric Gordon and Lou Williams each scored 18 points, and Trevor Ariza finished with 14.
Houston can close out the series Tuesday at home.
“That’s what a team is for,” Harden said. “It’s not just one guy.””
Oklahoma City star Russell Westbrook had a triple-double by halftime and finished with 35 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists. The Thunder said Westbrook joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to claim three consecutive playoff triple-doubles.
Steven Adams scored 18 points for Oklahoma City, and Victor Oladipo had 15.
The Thunder again struggled when Westbrook rested in the second half, and Westbrook wasn’t interested in explaining why . He took over a question directed at Adams and defended the team.
“Don’t split us up,” Westbrook said. “Don’t try and split us up. Don’t try to make us go against each other or make it ‘Russell and the rest of the guys, Russell against Houston.’ I don’t want to hear that. We’re in this together. We play as a team. That’s all that matters.”
Westbrook had 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists at the break. He grabbed the 10th rebound in the final second of the second quarter, and the Thunder led 58-54 at intermission. Meanwhile, Harden made just 2 of 9 shots and scored just six points in the first half.
The Thunder opened the second half with a 10-2 run, but Houston closed to 77-73 at the end of the third quarter.
Houston pulled ahead in the fourth, but Adams made the first of two free throws with 21.7 seconds remaining to cut Oklahoma City’s deficit to four. He rebounded his missed second free throw and found Westbrook for a 3-pointer that cut Houston’s lead to one point. But the Thunder lost track of Nene on the other end, and he converted a three-point play. Gordon’s two free throws with 6.2 seconds remaining made it a four-point game.