Would you bet against LeBron James in a Game 7? Would you do it when he’s playing against a Boston Celtics team that hasn’t lost once at home this entire postseason?
If your money was on the king, you won.
This game started out controlled by the young C’s team. The TD Garden was jumping. Everything was going down for Boston to start the game.
In the second quarter, the Cavs came back and kept things close. LBJ tried to get his teammates involved, but nobody would sink shots. JR Smith was cold. Kyle Korver was hit and miss. King James was the only one creating offense.
In the second half, it was back and forth. Both would go on short runs and take the lead. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that it started going back and forth between both teams. Cleveland was playing slow and steady, while Boston would throw up 3-pointers and started playing jittery.
At about the halfway mark of the 4th quarter, you could tell they were getting nervous.
POSTERIZATION OF THE PLAYOFFS
But LeBron kept at it, doing everything he could to keep his team scoring. He was hitting triples from deep, going to the line, taking things straight to the basket. He was so determined to win. You could see it in his face.
Ultimately, the Celtics couldn’t keep up with the Cavs down the stretch, they started missing shots and let the lead slip away.
King James finished the game one assist away from a triple double again, scoring 35 points, bringing down 15 rebounds and dishing out 9 assists.
The big story of the game was Jeff Green, who scored 19 points in the absence of Kevin Love and really helped carry the offensive load when it counted most.
Jayston Tatum led the Celtics in scoring with 24 points. Al Horford dropped 17 points. Jaylen Brown had 13. But Terry Rozier went cold, only scoring 3 points on the night. Marcus Morris had 14 points off the bench, but Marcus Smart only had 4 points when it was all said and done.
If anything, King James willed this team to victory and taking this Cavs team to the NBA Finals after all the controversy and turmoil this season. It’s his eighth season in a row he makes it to the promise land. Regardless how much you hate him or want to see him lose, him taking this team to the finals in his 15th season is an accomplishment.