LeBron, Cavs try to shake ‘weird’ loss in Game 3 to Celtics

Irving took over in the second half and finished with 42 points, LeBron James added 34 and the Cleveland Cavaliers moved within one win of an nearly inevitable third date in the Finals with Golden State by rallying to beat Boston 112-99 on Tuesday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Cleveland forward LeBron James was ineffective Sunday, scoring just 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting with five turnovers. Me personally, I didn’t have it.

The Cavs are now up 3-1, the most risky lead in sports. But me personally, I didn’t have it. “I’m pretty sure I’ll be sore when I get home”.

“I had a tough game, period“, he said following the game and following a postgame incident in which he challenged a fan that heckled him about the performance. Suddenly, LeBron started walking towards the heckler and asked him what has he ever done.

“What did you do?”

James wasn’t happy and carried some of that into his press conference.

He he then scolded the reporter for only “asking questions” when they lose.

“No blame. We’re all to blame“, Lue said Monday of James’s display.

Who do you want to win this series, HollywoodLifers? “We lost; it happens”. “I thought in the second half we were seeking the three instead of attacking”.

James did not do that Sunday in a 111-108 loss in which the Cavs owned a 21-point lead midway through the third quarter.

LeBron James scored 34 points, although he did record four first-half fouls and one awful missed dunk.

After boat-racing the Boston Celtics en route to a 130-86 win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, LeBron James had a weirdly quiet performance in Game 3.

“No, no, they didn’t mix up the coverage”, James said. “It kind of got him out of rhythm a little bit in that first half”.

That’s when James, who had eight points, five rebounds and five assists in the first half as Cleveland took a 66-50 lead, normally steps up and takes over a game, but it didn’t happen in Game 3.

I think the Cavs would have a legitimate chance of winning a Game 1 in Oracle Arena, but the odds would certainly not be in their favor. His teams were previously 49-0 after leading by 20 points or more. “Always has”, said Celtics coach Brad Stevens.

Every great player that’s put on an National Basketball Association uniform has looked pedestrian at times in the playoffs, and James is no different.

“The guy is a tremendous basketball player”.

“He’s the best player in the world”.

“I talked to him today”, the coach said. The Cavs gave up 61 points in the second half, and while Kevin Love, 28, went on a tear, scoring 22 points in the first half, most of the Cavalier offense took half-the-night off. Bill Russell won his final championship during the 1968-69 season, and it is safe to say he would have had a few more trophies if both of those awards were available in his day. LeBron only scored three points in the second half of the game.

“It doesn’t matter what Bron’s numbers were tonight”, Thompson said. “It’s just an effort all around”. They can’t settle for being just good, which is why Thomas will be traded in a headliner deal to ultimately make them better. They were on pace to sweep the Celtics.

“We can talk about his shooting all year long, but you know when it’s in a big moment, that kid is going to rise to the occasion”, said Stevens. Let’s regroup and get back to playing desperate basketball, which they did tonight. “Heart. We got heart, this team’s got heart”.

Information from ESPN Stats & Information was used in this report.