LeBron Struggles, Exchanges Words with Fan After Game 3 Loss

It’s the Eastern Conference finals.

It was Boston’s first outing since star guard Isaiah Thomas was shut down with a hip injury, and the Celtics showed they’re capable counter-punchers.

Heading into the game, James was averaging 34.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game in these playoffs. J.R. Smith and his wife, Jewel, brought their daughter home after more than five months in the hospital following her premature birth. “We knew that Friday (Game 2) was a disaster”. He scored just three points in the second half with none coming in the final 16:31 of the contest. That moment in the second half when he missed that one shot was a flawless encapsulation of his rough night.

And it was an uncharacteristically passive performance by James, who had scored at least 30 in eight straight playoff games and imposed his will on the overmatched Celtics in the series first two games. “That’s all I’ve got to say about my performance”. Let downs when the other team is missing their best player are normal in the regular season, but shouldn’t be something you fall prey to in the playoffs. Needing scoring badly, they caught fire from outside, making 11 of 22 3-pointers in the second half while the once-hot Cavs had their weapon stolen, going just 2-of-17 in the second half from beyond the arc. I didn’t have it. The team did not want to jeopardize his long-term health by allowing him to continue to play. “You always come around when we lose, I swear”.

‘Thank God it’s bouncing on the rim because that’s taking time, ‘ Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. The Celtics and Cavs will face off in Game 4 at Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday.

The Cavs hadn’t lost since Game 4 of last year’s Finals, and they came in tied with the 1988-89 Los Angeles “Showtime” Lakers for the longest winning streak in postseason history.

With James in foul trouble, Irving was forced to do more than ever and he delivered, scoring 19 in less than five minutes and 33 in a 19-minute stretch. The betting line is up to 15 points at Las Vegas sportsbooks, via OddsShark, and the over/under is 215.5.

“In this moment when we needed him the most, he made huge shots”, Stevens said.

Playing a lineup that could match up better with the defending National Basketball Association champion Cavaliers, the injured 5-foot-9 Thomas was exposed as the team’s weak link on defense while watching on TV. LeBron had 6 turnovers to 6 assists, shot 4-13 from the field finishing with 11 points, and didn’t look engaged on defense for more than a few possessions. “They got some open shots and moved around freely”.

LeBron is still the greatest basketball player alive and the Cavs are still eventually going to the NBA Finals. It was an intense moment made unusual by the fact that a Cavs fan would heckle James for an off night when James is the one who delivered Cleveland a championship last June. James had been leading the team in win probability added before that (plus-13 percent per game) and ranks eighth overall this postseason. “So we got back together and [Saturday] was a little bit tough; [Sunday] we had our spirit back”.