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SPORTS Saturday 5 May 2018

James scores 43 as Cavs beat Raptors 128-110 in Game 2

By IAN HARRISON "It was great to see that
Associated Press performance out of him,"
TORONTO (AP) — Watch- James said. "He's our All-
ing LeBron James at shoot- Star power forward. That's
around, Kevin Love knew a huge game for him."
something special was in J.R. Smith scored 15 points,
store. Jeff Green had 14 and
Maybe not the fadeaway George Hill 13 as the Cav-
jumpers James kept mak- aliers posted their eighth
ing, each seemingly with a consecutive postseason
higher degree of difficulty victory over the Raptors
than the last, but he was and halted Toronto's four-
sure there would be some- game winning streak in
thing. Game 2s. The Raptors en-
"This morning you could tered 6-1 all-time when
just sense it," Love said. "He playing Game 2 at home.
knew what was at stake, "Love got going on us and
he knew us getting another that was a difficult match-
win here was going to be up for us," Raptors coach
huge for us. He came out Dwane Casey said. "We
and he played that way have some matchup issues
from the jump. You could all over the court."
just sense that he was go- DeMar DeRozan scored
ing to have a special night." 24 points and Kyle Lowry
James had 43 points and had 21 for the Raptors. To- Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shoots over Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRo-
zan (10) during the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball playoffs second-round series
14 assists, Love added 31 ronto won a team-record Thursday, May 3, 2018, in Toronto.
points and 11 rebounds, 59 games and finished as Associated Press
and the Cleveland Cava- the top-seeded team in
liers beat the Toronto Rap- the Eastern Conference Cleveland over the past Game 1, were up 54-45 CELTICS 108, 76ERS 103
tors 128-110 on Thursday to this season, but was easily two postseasons, losing by midway through the sec- BOSTON (AP) — Rookie
take a 2-0 lead in their sec- shoved one step closer to an average margin of 24.2 ond quarter but saw their Jayson Tatum scored 21
ond-round playoff series. a third straight postseason points per game. lead dwindle to 63-61 at points and hit a pair of
James delivered the first exit at the hands of James "Sometimes when you're halftime. free throws in the closing
40-point, 14-assist game and the Cavs. put in tough situations, Cleveland took control as second, and Boston rallied
in NBA playoff history, ac- Jonas Valanciunas had 16 that's what brings the best Smith scored six points in from a 22-point deficit to
cording to the Elias Sports points and 12 rebounds out of you," DeRozan said. an 18-5 spurt to begin the beat Philadelphia and take
Bureau. and Fred VanVleet scored "That's what point we're at third quarter. The Cavs out- a 2-0 lead in the Eastern
He added eight rebounds, 14 points, but the Raptors now." scored the Raptors 37-24 in Conference semifinals.
narrowly missing his second lost back-to-back home Unfortunately for the Rap- the third to take an 11-point Terry Rozier added 20
straight triple-double, and games for the first time all tors, James insisted the edge into the fourth, and points, nine assists and sev-
connected on 19 of 28 at- season. Cavs aren't satisfied with Toronto didn't challenge en rebounds. Marcus Smart
tempts in a performance so Toronto matched Houston their 2-0 lead. again. finished with 19 points and
dominant that the belea- by going 34-7 at home in "We will not let our guards "That's kind of what won the five rebounds as the Celtics
guered Raptors' city was the regular season, and down," James promised. game for us," Lue said of improved to 6-0 at TD Gar-
being called "LeBronto" by went 3-0 at home against The Cavaliers, who tied a Cleveland's big third quar- den this postseason. They
the time the night was over. Washington in round one. postseason low with three ter. have never blown a 2-0
"He got it going and he was The Raptors had not lost turnovers, are 21-3 at home James was on target in lead.
feeling it," Cavs coach Ty- consecutive home games against Eastern Confer- Cleveland's game-chang- Game 3 is Saturday in Phila-
ronn Lue said. since dropping Games 3 ence opponents in the ing third quarter, connect- delphia.
James, meanwhile, gave and 4 of the second round playoffs over the past four ing on seven of 10 attempts J.J. Redick had 23 points
credit to Love, who shot 11 to Cleveland last May. years. and scoring 15 points. Love for the 76ers, making five
for 21 and missed matching The series shifts to Ohio for The Raptors, who let a added nine as the Cavs 3-pointers. Robert Coving-
his career playoff high by Game 3 on Saturday night. 10-point lead slip away in took a 98-87 lead to the ton added 22 points and
one point. Toronto has gone 0-5 at a 113-112 overtime loss in fourth. nine rebounds. q