Pistons 107, Cavs 109 (2OT)
All five games of the Eastern Conference Finals have been extremely close (79-76, 79-76, 88-82, 91-87, and 109-107). Last night’s game finally went into overtime and it took a second overtime to determine the winner, the Cleveland Cavaliers. I only caught the two overtimes so I can’t comment on what happened during the game, but the overtimes were very close. It also seemed like they took a time out every two seconds. I’ve always been impressed with LeBron James’ play. He’s obviously a very talented player for someone at the age of 22.
Yesterday evening, I was blown away. He won that game. I was a witness to the amazing player that he is. He scored 29 of Cleveland’s last 30 points in the game including the game winner. James scored 48 points throughout the entire game. And he did this all in the Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit’s arena. I still can’t get over the unbelievable play I saw last night from LeBron James.
Cleveland is now up 3-2 in the ECF.
The Pistons are on the brink of elimination.
LeBron James grimaced, limped up to the podium and plopped into a chair behind a microphone.
It was the only time he looked human all night.
James had already used every ounce of energy to put together one of the most spectacular performances in playoff history, lifting the Cleveland Cavaliers to the verge of their greatest season.
James’ career playoff-high 48 points — including his team’s final 25 and 29 of its final 30 — carried Cleveland within a win of the NBA finals for the first time in franchise history with a 109-107 double-overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.
After the breathtaking display of talent and will gave the Cavs a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference finals, the 22-year-old star said he felt terrible.
“I’m banged up. I’m winded. I’m fatigued,” he said. “I’ve got all day tomorrow. It’s going to be tough to get some rest when you got a crazy, 2-year-old running around the house. So hopefully, I can take him to one of his grandma’s house.”
…
“I was able to will my team to victory,” James said. “This is definitely a big win, one of the biggest wins in Cavaliers’ franchise history. For me and my teammates, it’s definitely the biggest win.
“But we have a goal, we can’t dwell on this when we have another game on Saturday. We have got to do our best to try to win that ballgame and get where we wanted to be all year.”
Matt @ Detroit Bad Boys:
When I was a kid, I remember a trip to the zoo where I went to go see the apes. Most of the apes were fat and lazy and spent their time sunning themselves in the back of their cage far away from the gawking idiots with their flashing cameras and fanny packs and stupid little grins on their faces. But there was one ape sitting right up close in the corner hunched over with his head pressed up to the glass.
I walked up to the glass and stood less than 12 inches away from him, and I was mesmerized as he slowly and methodically vomited on the ground in front of him. When he was done, he proceeded to eat the vomit, only to heave it back up a few minutes later. He did this over and over and over again. Why I stood there and watched him for 20 minutes I’ll never know for sure, but I imagine it was part of God’s plan for me an analogy for how I feel right now.
Pistons fans, this team has been making us vomit for the entirety of their five-year run in the Eastern Conference Finals. Hell, it was barely a year ago that we were in the exact same situation as now: down 3-2 to the Cavs after winning the first two games.
Sports Illustrated’s Paul Forrester:
But how many 22-year-olds have ever taken their team this far with this much responsibility? Kobe? Nope. Garnett? Nope. Jordan? Heck, he was busy losing in the first round to the Bucks when he was 22.
LeBron has a chance to surpass them all. Yes, the Spurs may well give the King his royal comeuppance, should Cleveland reach the Finals; but for Cleveland even to be in this position in LeBron’s fourth year was beyond the dreams of most in a city accustomed to disappointment. Should LeBron get just a suggestion of help Saturday night in Cleveland, the city –- and the league –- will drift off into la-la land with smiles on their faces.
Natalie @ Need4Sheed:
am not going to sit here and say I am not really disappointed, but LeBron was cold blooded. You know the saying one person can’t beat a team. Well LeBron did it last night.
Can someone tell me why Chauncey took such a bad shot right before the end of regulation when he had plenty of time to get a good shot off? If I am not mistaken there were more than 6 seconds left on the clock and he dribbled most of them away and took an off balance 3.
I was expecting a bigger game from Rasheed, who scored 17 with 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. I thought he would have been a man possessed.
Bob Wojnowski @ The Detroit News:
LeBron James unleashed a mighty shot and a mighty dunk, and then another, and another, and another. It was crazy and stunning and probably historic. And with that finishing flurry, surely one of the most amazing the NBA has ever seen, he pushed the Pistons to a truly bitter brink.
The Pistons have teetered so long against the Cavaliers, you really can’t be surprised. James has risen so quickly, conjuring all the great superstar performances in playoff history, there might be no stopping him now.
This was a remarkable thriller, and in the end, it was all James, with no defense from the Pistons. His layup right through the Pistons with 2.2 seconds left gave the Cavs a 109-107 double-overtime shocker at The Palace Thursday night.
Drew Sharp @ the Detroit Free Press:
My eyes have now seen.
I am officially a Witness.
Amass every superlative ever used in describing a clutch playoff performance, and it would still fall a few adjectives shy of accurately portraying LeBron James’ legendary, yes, legendary effort in what was already a memorable night at the Palace.
The King did it without his court, pushing the Pistons to the brink of another playoff disaster in a 109-107, double-overtime thriller.
The Pistons spent everything they had, fired every weapon in their arsenal, and it still wasn’t enough to offset James’ singular brilliance.
James scored 29 of the Cavaliers’ last 30 points.
Michael never did that. Neither did Bird.
All Cleveland coach Mike Brown could say afterward was “Wow.”
He wasn’t alone.
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