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SPORTS Thursday 3 May 2018

James has triple-double, Cavs

beat Raptors in OT in Game 1

TORONTO (AP) — This time, missed a 3-pointer with 3.4 the ball with 0.6 seconds
LeBron James didn’t have seconds to go in overtime remaining. Green inbound-
to do it all by himself. that could have won it for ed to James, but his shot
James had 26 points, 13 as- the Raptors, who couldn’t bounced off the rim.
sists and 11 rebounds for his hold on after taking a The Raptors shot 5 for 24
21st career playoff triple- 10-point lead early in the in the fourth quarter, with
double, J.R. Smith scored fourth quarter. Valanciunas missing six of
20 points and the Cleve- “He got a heck of a shot,” seven attempts. Toronto
land Cavaliers beat the Raptors guard DeMar missed its final 11 shot at-
Toronto Raptors 113-112 in DeRozan said. “I’ll live with tempts in regulation.
overtime on Tuesday night him shooting that shot 10 “I don’t know if it was nerves
to win Game 1 of their sec- times out of 10. We got a or yips or what,” Raptors
ond-round playoff series. good look and it just didn’t coach Dwane Casey said.
Kyle Korver scored 19 fall.” “Just things that shot our-
points, including the go- Jonas Valanciunas had 21 selves in the foot when we
ahead 3-pointer in over- points and 21 rebounds, had a 10-point lead.”
time after Cleveland never Kyle Lowry had 18 points DeRozan scored 11 points
led in regulation. Tristan and 10 assists, and DeRo- in the first, connecting on
Thompson had 14 points zan scored 22 points for the five of eight attempts, and
and 12 rebounds for the Raptors, who host Game 2 Lowry had eight points and
Cavaliers, who have elimi- on Thursday night. five assists as Toronto led
nated Toronto in each of The Cavaliers beat the 33-19.
the past two postseasons. Raptors in six games in the James was 3 of 5 in the first Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) looks for an out-
let pass as Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan defends dur-
“My teammates were un- Eastern Conference finals but the rest of the Cavs ing the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball playoffs Eastern
believable tonight,” James in 2016 before going on to shot 4 for 18. Conference semifinal, Tuesday, May 1, 2018, in Toronto.
said. “They stepped up win their first NBA champi- James, who averaged Associated Press
when I wasn’t at my best.” onship. Last year, Cleve- more than 41 minutes in
Jeff Green scored 16 points land swept Toronto in the Cleveland’s first-round third, but Korver scored 10 the first. ... The Raptors had
and Kevin Love had 13 re- second round. series against Indiana, points and James had eight nine turnovers in the first
bounds. Korver’s 3 early in overtime checked out with 3:31 to keep the Cavs close. To- half, leading to 15 points
James, who topped 40 gave the Cavaliers their first left in the first. With James ronto led 87-82 heading to for the Cavaliers. They fin-
points three times in seven lead of the game, 108-105. on the bench, the Cavs the fourth. ished with 14, leading to 21
games against Indiana in Lowry’s three-point play scored two points the rest “He was kicking our butt in Cleveland points. ... Actor
round one, shot 12 for 30 made it 113-112 with 57 of the quarter. the third quarter,” James Wendell Pierce attended
against Toronto, going 1 for seconds to go and, after Green and Smith each said of Valanciunas. “Luck- the game.
8 from 3-point range, and the Cavs were called for a scored 11 points in the sec- ily, I just felt like he wore LEAVING IT LATE
called it “probably one of shot-clock violation, Toron- ond and the Cavs found down a little bit in the According to ESPN, the
my worst games of the sea- to had one more chance to their shooting stroke, con- fourth.” Cavs are the second team
son.” win, but VanVleet couldn’t necting on 14 of 22 at- TIP-INS in the past 20 postseasons
Still, James came through come through. tempts. James had five Cavaliers: James is second to win a game in which
when it counted, tying the “We feel good about the assists in the period as only to Magic Johnson (30) they never held a lead in
score with two baskets in win but I think we were also Cleveland cut the deficit to in career playoff triple-dou- regulation. The only other
the final 92 seconds of reg- very fortunate,” Korver said. 60-57 at halftime. bles. ... James dove into a team to do it was Dallas,
ulation to complete Cleve- VanVleet was one of four VanVleet took exception courtside broadcast table which won at Oklahoma
land’s comeback from a Raptors to miss in the final to a shove from James at in search of a loose ball late City on May 23, 2011.
double-digit deficit. seconds of regulation. To- the end of one play and in the fourth. ... Love missed GAME ONE WOES
“It got to a one-possession, ronto got four looks at the made an attempt to get at all four of his shot attempts Toronto is 2-13 in playoff se-
two-possession game,” potential winning basket the Cavs star, but was re- in the first went 1 for 7 in the ries openers.
James said. “That’s what I but missed all four, includ- strained by teammates. first half. He finished 3 for 13. UP NEXT
like the most.” ing a wide-open 3 by Van- Valanciunas had 13 points Raptors: Toronto had 10 as- Game 2 is Thursday at 6
Toronto’s Fred VanVleet Vleet, giving Cleveland and eight rebounds in the sists on 13 made baskets in p.m.q