Sport
LeBron James scores 45 as Miami Heat Crushes Celtics 98-79
Miami barely won Game 2 before dropping the next three games, but this one was never in doubt. James was a one-man force on what’s supposed to be a Big Three, carrying the Heat in the first half while Wade made only 1 of 6 shots.
The Celtics were hoping to complete a comeback from a 2-0 deficit, as Oklahoma City did, and advance to face the Thunder in the NBA finals. But they missed 13 of 14 3-point attempts and will have to win a second straight game in Miami to play for the title.
James’ season was twice ended in Boston while playing for Cleveland, the Celtics emerging as the winner in a Pierce-James duel in Game 7 of the 2008 East semifinals, then beating the Cavs in Game 6 of the second round two years later.
That was James’ last game with Cleveland, leaving that summer for Miami and the All-Star help that Wade and Chris Bosh could provide.
He needed none of it Thursday.
He had 30 points by halftime and spent the night silencing the Celtics crowd and perhaps some of the doubters he somehow still has. He set the tone for the game by making 6 of 7 shots and scoring 14 points in the first quarter, and he made sure the Heat were never challenged from there.
Meanwhile, Pierce, whose 3-pointer over James was the biggest basket of Boston’s Game 5 victory, missed 13 of 16 shots through three quarters, including all six 3-point attempts.
