The Cleveland Cavaliers were cruising through the Eastern Conference before Game 3. They were even cruising to victory in the first half of Game 3, up 21 on a Boston Celtics team missing Isaiah Thomas. But then things changed. The Celtics reminded us how tough and gritty they are, pulling out a shocking Game 3 win on the road.
NBA playoff scores 2017: Cavaliers got the wake-up call they needed
Cleveland leads Boston 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
They even jumped out and maintained the lead throughout the first half of Game 4. The Cavaliers, and mainly LeBron James, looked off. They looked tired, confused, and unsure of themselves. Then the strangest thing happened — James got four fouls in 15 minutes of game play. It was the first time in his entire career he was called for four fouls in the first half of a game. It forced James to sit for the final six minutes of the second quarter and the Cavaliers had to find a new way to fight.
While the Celtics’ lead was still 10 points at halftime, you could see the Cavaliers starting to wake up, led by Kyrie Irving. Then the third quarter happened, where Irving completely took over the game, scoring 21 points and shooting 9-of-10 from the floor.
The All-Star guard responded with an incredible Game 4, pouring on a playoff career-high 42 points on a methodical 15-of-22 shooting to lead Cleveland to a 112-99 win on Tuesday. He did it while James sat half of the second quarter after picking up four fouls in the first half. He continued in the third quarter, playing all 12 minutes to score 21 points on 90 percent shooting in the period.
The Cavaliers outscored the Celtics by 17 with Irving on the floor during his magical third quarter. It was a microcosm of all that could go well when a fully healthy Cleveland team fires on all cylinders.
LeBron James was far more assertive in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter. He was aggressive in attacking the basket, and also got a few shots to go down. While he wasn’t always rewarded with calls, it was good to see him drive by his defender and get to the rim.
He picked apart the Celtics defense with his stellar passing and was able to generate drive and kick looks that were missing over the five quarters that preceded that.
Kevin Love was also a huge difference maker in this game. He pulled down 17 rebounds to go along with his 17 points, 2 blocks and a steal. His strong play helped make up for an off night from Thompson and was yet another example of the mental toughness and comfort he has gained since joining the Cavs. He was hobbling around a bit in the fourth quarter, but the severity of his injury is unclear.
In the end, James, Irving, and Love combined for 93 points in the game, the most they’ve ever scored together in the playoffs. The Cavaliers had to fight for this one. They had to dig deeper than they did the entire playoffs. The Cavaliers needed some adversity in these playoffs and they got it in Games 3 and 4. If they know what’s good for them, they’ll finish this series in Boston for Game 5. The Golden State Warriors are waiting for them, after all.
Play of the night
Irving capped off Game 4 with this ridiculous drive to the basket.
Tuesday night’s final score
Cavaliers 112, Celtics 99 (Fear the Sword recap | Celtics Blog recap)
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