LeBron scores 44 as Cavs tie Celtics series

AFP

Lebron James scored 44 points on 17-of-28 shooting to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 111-102 victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday at Quicken Loans Arena to even the NBA Eastern Conference finals at two games apiece.

Kyle Korver scored 14 points (all in the first half) for the fourth-seeded Cavaliers. Tristan Thompson recorded 13 points and 12 rebounds, George Hill scored 13 points and Kevin Love collected 11 rebounds while scoring 9 points.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 points and Jayson Tatum had 17 for the second-seeded Celtics, who dropped to 1-6 on the road this postseason. Terry Rozier notched 16 points and 11 assists, Al Horford tallied 15 points and Marcus Morris scored 10.

Cleveland is trying to become the 20th team — out of 300 — to overcome a 0-2 deficit and James, who has already orchestrated two such rallies and is seeking his eighth straight finals, is a step closer to a third. To do it again the Cavs will have to win in Boston (tomorrow), where the Celtics are 9-0 this postseason.

“It’s a hostile environment, we understand that,” James said in a postgame television interview. “There is no love in there. If you don’t have on green, if you don’t play for that team, if you don’t bleed green, they’ve got no love for you.

“So we’ve got to come out with a bunker mentality and understand it’s just us. It’s going to be a great atmosphere.”

Cleveland shot 50.6 from the field on Monday and had a 47-37 rebounding edge. Boston shot 41.2 percent from the floor.

Hill’s basket gave the Cavaliers a 96-81 lead with 9:53 remaining in the contest before the Celtics rattled off eight straight points. Love and James responded with back-to-back baskets to increase the Cleveland margin to 100-89.

Boston again was within seven after Marcus Smart’s bucket with 4:29 left, but Thompson and James scored consecutive baskets to again push the Cavaliers’ lead to 11. Hill followed with a 12-foot floater to give Cleveland a 106-93 advantage with 2:36 left.

James drained a 3-pointer with 1:43 left to record his sixth 40-point outing of this postseason and give the Cavaliers a 109-95 lead. Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson (2001) is the most recent player to have six 40-point performances in a single playoff year.

“I put the work in day in and day out on my body, working on my game every day to try to put myself in the best condition I can be in the postseason,” James said afterward. “My teammates, my coaching staff allow me to go out and do the things to try to help us win and trust me.”