Avery Bradley hits game-winner to beat LeBron’s Cavs

CELEBRATION – Bradley hit his shot right in front of the visiting Boston bench. Ultimately, it did not matter.

Avery Bradley made a corner jumper at the horn to give the Boston Celtics a stunning 104-103 win over the Cavaliers on Friday night in Cleveland.

“In the big picture it does count as one (win), but it gives you a sense you’re improving and getting better”, Stevens said. Although they were able to get an overtime win against the Pacers, the third quarter did play a big factor in the Cavs loss to the Hornets, where the Cavs held a nine-point halftime lead. That is, until you watched the replay and saw that no contact was made.

The Cavs were up by five with 18 seconds left in the game before Celtics forward Jae Crowder made a 3-pointer – his only basket – and Evan Turner scored on a layup while being fouled by J.R. Smith with four seconds to play.

Free throws by Kyrie Irving made it 103-99 with 7 seconds left.

Of course, Turner missed the free throw and the ball ended up careening off Mozgov’s hands and into James’ body before bouncing out of bounds. Thomas then drove along the baseline, drawing two defenders, and whipped a left-handed pass around his right hip and back to Bradley, who was replacing Thomas in the left corner of the court.

Bradley took the feed and had a very good look when Iman Shumpert was slow to get over.

“I’d say that this group has never [stopped trying]”, Stevens told reporters in Cleveland.

“It’s a great feeling”, a cool, calm and collected Bradley said after the game.

“He shouldn’t have been that open to get a shot off like that”, James said. “I don’t know what it will feel like tomorrow, but I’m optimistic it’s just a thigh bruise”. “Initially we were going for the two-pointer, but the 3 was there”.

Since his award winning turn at Ohio State, one which included a Naismith Award for college player of the year and averages of 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in his junior season, Evan Turner has been relegated as a punching bag wherever he has gone.

“There were more than a few mental mistakes going down in those last final seconds until that buzzer went off”, said Irving, who didn’t appear almost as upset as James following the loss. “Even for those who had not wanted to make the change, we’re being forced to that position just based on these sophisticated coaches understandably using every tactic available to them”.

Third-quarter woes have plagued the Cleveland Cavaliers for the last three games, and it finally came back to haunt them.

As Rajon Rondo was shipped out, as Marcus Smart struggled with injuries and the usual rookie pains, and as Isaiah Thomas came on with a bang upon arrival, Turner and his full 82-games played was often the most consistent player on the team. A limping Love had to be helped to the locker room and did not return. He hopes rest and treatment will allow him to play Saturday.

Love left the game with 10 points and five rebounds, although he had eight points and four rebounds after the first quarter.

Since Tyronn Lue took over the head-coaching duties after the firing of David Blatt two weeks ago, the Cavaliers learned to quicken their pace and better distribute the basketball, but that was far from the case in the loss to the Hornets.

Boston was in foul trouble for most of the game, as a result the Cavaliers shot 10 more free-throws than the Celtics (35 to 25). The Cavaliers’ lead over the Toronto Raptors for the top spot in the East is down to 1 1/2 games.