Updated at 11.23
LEBRON JAMES IS UNREAL. pic.twitter.com/vfhNe4bAbR
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 6, 2018
LEBRON JAMES BANKED in an off balance floater at the buzzer, lifting the Cleveland to a 105-103 win over the Toronto Raptors and giving the Cavaliers a stranglehold 3-0 playoff series lead on Saturday.
James took an inbound pass and drove the length of the court, cut to the left and sank the running one-handed dagger off the backboard to stun the Raptors’ bench. The 10-footer came just seconds after Toronto had tied it 103-103 on OG Anunoby’s three pointer with eight seconds on the clock.
“I live for those moments, to be able to go out and come through for my team,” James said. “I had to get open. There were no more timeouts. I was able to hit a floater off the glass.”
In the other second round NBA playoff game Saturday, the Boston Celtics also took a commanding 3-0 series lead with a 101-98 overtime win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Both game fours are Monday night, and the odds are stacked against Toronto and Philadelphia. Of the 129 teams in NBA history to fall behind 3-0, none has come back to win.
James finished with 38 points, Kevin Love added 21 and 16 rebounds and Kyle Korver 18 for the Cleveland, who can sweep the Raptors for the second consecutive year.
Kyle Lowry scored 27 for Toronto, who played most of the fourth with DeMar DeRozan on the bench.
After winning two games in Toronto, the Cleveland returned home and did the same. James has Toronto’s number as he is 11-2 against Toronto in the past three playoffs.
“We needed every bucket, every rebound, every possession,” he said. “That’s a gutsy win. We had to be patient and not feed off the physicality and continue to execute.”
In Philadelphia, Jayson Tatum scored 24 points and Terry Rozier added 18 as the Celtics beat Philadelphia 101-98, reaching the brink of the NBA Eastern Conference finals.
Jaylen Brown came off the bench to add 16 points for the Celtics while Al Horford contributed 13 points and Australian Aron Baynes grabbed 10 rebounds.
“These are the kind of moments you want to be in as a basketball player,” Horford said.
Joel Embiid had 22 points and 19 rebounds to lead the 76ers, while J.J. Redick added 18 points and Aussie playmaker Ben Simmons contributed 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
- Rozier steal -
A steal by Rozier set up a basket by Brown that gave the Celtics an 89-87 lead with one second remaining in regulation time, but the 76ers equalized when Italy’s Marco Belinelli sank a jumper off a pass from Simmons with 0.3 of a second remaining, sending the contest into overtime.
A Belinelli basket and Redick three-pointer put the Sixers up 94-87 in overtime, but the Celtics closed on a 12-4 run, Horford scoring the final five points to bring Boston the ultimate victory.
Belinelli had hit a buzzer-beater to end the fourth quarter that sent the Sixers into a wild celebration on the court as confetti shot out of a cannon that made it rain over the arena.
But not so fast as game three was only headed into overtime.
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Scousers don’t care about this game. More interested in Utd losing to Spurs.
@Olllie B: No not really you don’t have to be from Liverpool to be scouser. Northern Europe sailors brought a stew recipe to ports in England but mostly Liverpool. The dish was called Lobscouse. Those people in Liverpool who ate it were called Scousers.
Huddersfield fans out in force I see… who knew?
Come on Huddersfield
Well its Huddersfield for me…
If Klopp loses this…he’ll have to walk alone !!
@dannyboy: never!!
@Joe Kennedy: tbf Klopp is a joke at this stage.
But but but No Coutinho??? Ahhhh sure the January transfer window is nearly upon us so his back is probably playing up again
@powerfix: numbskull
If that defence is correct, I give up.
Im not even sure Lovren shagging Klopps missus would put him out of the team, Might be his downfall.
So Lovern’s punishment for being absolutely useless last week and costing his team 2 goals is to be rewarded with another start? The mind boggles
@Brian O’Loughlin: its common knowledge amongst real pool fans that lovern’s Mrs ran off another guy. So idiots here should really give him a break.
$hit happens to everyone from every walk of life. If things happen in your personal life that effect your performance or prevent you from doing your job properly you shouldn’t be there. Would you want a depressed pilot flying your plane? How is putting him in the firing line supposed to help him anyway? If anything it will make him worse
@Mr Nimziki: oh lord. You drop him till his heads right ffs.
@Nial D: so kick a man when he’s down is the answer
Klopp took off Lovren after 30 mins last week but now he’s starting again wttttfff
Sacked by your best man…,you’re getting sacked by your best man … sacked by your besssst mannnnnnnn ..you’re getting sacked by your besssst mannnnnnnnn….
@powerfix: nitwit
@powerfix: Jeez. My 12yr old has more imagination, and he’s far less childish than that. I’d say your parents are very proud.
If we don’t win kiss top 4 goodbye YNWA
@Ollie Watson: that ship sailed ages ago dude. Ye will be lucky to nick Thursday night ball next season.
Well wagner said he best friends with klippty that goal proved it
Is Coutinho dropped?
@Nollaig Elliot: “injured”
Time to get a run going after some recent blips
Glad for Sturidge to score his first goal in two months great player