Celtics handle Cavs
BOSTON – Paul Pierce hit a shot. Then LeBron James answered. Pierce hit another and so did James.
It was like that all game long, two of the NBA’s best trying to carry their teams to the next round. Pierce and the Boston Celtics succeeded, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 97-92 on Sunday.
Twenty years earlier there was another thrilling shootout in another seventh game of the Eastern Conference semifinals in Boston – Larry Bird vs. Dominique Wilkins.
And the result was the same: a narrow Celtics victory that sent them to the conference finals against Detroit.
Pierce scored 41 points, James had 45 and Boston remained unbeaten in the playoffs at home, where the first two games against the Pistons will be played Tuesday and Thursday night.
“It is a great feeling,” Pierce said. “We knew this was going to be a tough, tough series.”
Pierce hit 13 of 23 shots and James went 14 for 29.
Celtics executive vice president Danny Ainge called Sunday’s shootout “an epic battle.”
The Celtics have won 14 straight games at home and have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They are 0-6 in the postseason on the road.
“Before the year our goal was to be there in Game 1 at home (in the conference finals) and that’s where we are,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said. “So we’re exactly where we should be.”
Home teams are 22-2 in the second round of this season’s playoffs. The Celtics never trailed Sunday but they never were safe until the final seconds.
Pierce hit two free throws with 7.9 seconds left for the final points, then James missed a 3-pointer on the last shot of the game with 4.4 seconds to go.
Sasha Pavlovic’s 3-pointer made it 95-92 with 8.6 seconds left and the Cavaliers immediately fouled Pierce. His first shot hit the rim, hung in the air, then fell through as the crowd roared.
Pierce’s second free throw was much smoother, making it 97-92.
Cleveland raced downcourt and James hoisted a 3-pointer that missed with 4.4 seconds to go. The Cavaliers got the rebound and James waved for the ball from the same spot he had just missed from.
But Eddie House intercepted the pass and, as the final seconds ticked off, James turned and walked toward his bench, his chances of reaching the East finals dashed on the court where the Cavaliers were 0-6 this season.
Still, the Celtics were pushed to the limit for the second straight series. They did dominate Atlanta in Game 7, winning 99-65, but had a much tougher time eliminating Cleveland.
But now they’re unbeaten in the 29 series in which they’ve led 3-2.