(2) CELTICS V. (4) CAVS
GAME 7 - EAST FINALS
CLE 87 @ BOS 79
The Cavs are headed (back) to the Finals...
After all of the roster turnover, inconsistent support, injuries & uninspired play, Cleveland returns to the biggest stage.
It didn't come w/o a tremendous fight, however. Game 7 was a battle of attrition - shots weren't falling either way + any sequence or two could drastically shift momentum in someone's favor. The pendulum swung back & forth for the majority of the night.
Every time Boston made a big play, the Cavs* responded w/ a few shots to keep it close - CLE trailed 44-40 at halftime. In the second half, Boston couldn't buy a bucket - the C's put up just 13! 3Q pts as Cleveland went ahead by a few.
Three point lead (for CLE) heading into the 4th, still anyone's ballgame.
Jayson Tatum (24! & 7 boards) made the play of the postseason w/ a ridiculous poster on LeBron - but that was one of only a few notable scores the entire final stanza. Despite having Cleveland in the bonus for the better part of 6-7 min., Boston consistently settled for tough triples down the stretch.
The Cavs capitalized by turning those poor possessions into points - from the field & foul line.
LeBron James
DD - 35!, 15! boards & 9 dimes
A(nother) Herculean effort from LeBron James (35!, 15! boards & 9 dimes) helped close the deal - as well as timely contributions from (X-Factor) Jeff Green (19! & 8 boards) & J.R. Smith (12 pts, 3 triples).
8 straight Finals for LeBron: unprecedented territory in today's age.
Boston fell short of its ultimate goal but possesses the brightest future of anyone in the East, maybe even the league. Returning All-Stars Kyrie Irving & Gordon Hayward to a team that fell one quarter short of the Finals makes you believe they'll be in the same (or better) position a year from now.
Further, internal growth outta Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown & (Top DOG?) Jayson Tatum gives them a rare "wild card" element unseen in most contenders. It almost paid in full this season - though Boston's young trio didn't hit the ultimate jackpot in 2018, it's a matter of time before all the chips fall in the right place.
Cleveland awaits the winner of Houston-Golden State, to be decided tonight in "do or die" fashion. Whether it's the Warriors or the Rockets, one thing's certain: a LeBron-led team can never be counted out.
4 wins away from the trophy, can Cleveland fully embrace UnderDOG status & defy the odds**?
*er, LeBron
**"defying odds" = defeating either GSW or HOU