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Home » Sports » Basketball
Cavaliers clobber Celts in Cleveland
Source: Agencies |
April 14, 2009, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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LEBRON James scored 29 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers crushed the Boston Celtics 107-76 on Sunday to move within one win of the league's record for home victories in a season.
Cleveland, 39-1 in its home arena, can equal the 1985-86 Celtics' National Basketball Association record of 40-1 with a home victory over Philadelphia in tomorrow's regular-season finale.
"Whenever you can get a record as a team or as an individual, you should be proud of it," James told reporters. "We should be proud of what we did today."
Elsewhere in the NBA, it was: Heat 122, Knicks 105; Lakers 92, Grizzlies 75 Hornets 102, Mavericks 92; Raptors 111, 76ers 104; and Spurs 95, Kings 92.
In Cleveland, Ohio, although Sunday's contest was a meeting of the Eastern Conference's top two teams, the outcome was never in doubt after the league-leading Cavaliers (65-15) raced to a 31-9 first-quarter advantage over the Celtics (60-20).
"It was really fun," said James, who had 10 points in the quarter. "I looked up at the scoreboard and they were shooting 15 percent. It was unbelievable."
The lead grew to 30 points on a James free throw in the second quarter.
James also had seven assists and four rebounds in 30 minutes of play. He scored his final basket on a three-pointer with 28 seconds remaining in the third period.
Four teammates joined the All-Star forward in double figures. Daniel Gibson had 15 points, Mo Williams and Delonte West scored 13 each and Zydrunas Ilgauskas contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Paul Pierce led Boston with 14 points. Only two other Celtics finished in double figures. Glen Davis had 12 and reserve Mikki Moore scored 10.
Boston's starting guards wound up with 11 points in total. Ray Allen scored six and Rajon Rondo had five.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he thought his players forgot how to play as a team.
"Every guy thought, 'You know what? I am going to win this game for us tonight'," Rivers said. "I told our guys I understand that you want to win, but that's not how you win.
"You win by playing together. We have been such a great ball movement team, but we were not tonight."
In Miami, Dwyane Wade scored 55 points, one shy of the franchise record, and the Heat wrapped up the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference by beating New York.
Miami will play fourth-seeded Atlanta in the first round of the playoffs.
Wade shot 19-for-30 from the field, set a career high with six three-pointers, and nearly topped Glen Rice's team record of 56 points before leaving with 1:06 left.
Michael Beasley finished with 28 points and 16 rebounds for the Heat, who also got 15 points from Mario Chalmers.
Al Harrington and Tyson Chandler each scored 21 points for New York.
In Los Angeles, Andrew Bynum scored 18 points in his third game back from a knee injury to help the Lakers to victory.
Kobe Bryant took just nine shots, made seven, and finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Pau Gasol, often matched against his brother Marc in the middle, scored 12 points and had 13 rebounds.
The seven-foot Bynum, who missed 32 games after tearing a ligament in his right knee on January 31, played 25:03 against the Grizzlies. He went 6-of-10 from the floor and had five rebounds.
O.J. Mayo led the Grizzlies with 20 points, and Marc Gasol had 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Cleveland, 39-1 in its home arena, can equal the 1985-86 Celtics' National Basketball Association record of 40-1 with a home victory over Philadelphia in tomorrow's regular-season finale.
"Whenever you can get a record as a team or as an individual, you should be proud of it," James told reporters. "We should be proud of what we did today."
Elsewhere in the NBA, it was: Heat 122, Knicks 105; Lakers 92, Grizzlies 75 Hornets 102, Mavericks 92; Raptors 111, 76ers 104; and Spurs 95, Kings 92.
In Cleveland, Ohio, although Sunday's contest was a meeting of the Eastern Conference's top two teams, the outcome was never in doubt after the league-leading Cavaliers (65-15) raced to a 31-9 first-quarter advantage over the Celtics (60-20).
"It was really fun," said James, who had 10 points in the quarter. "I looked up at the scoreboard and they were shooting 15 percent. It was unbelievable."
The lead grew to 30 points on a James free throw in the second quarter.
James also had seven assists and four rebounds in 30 minutes of play. He scored his final basket on a three-pointer with 28 seconds remaining in the third period.
Four teammates joined the All-Star forward in double figures. Daniel Gibson had 15 points, Mo Williams and Delonte West scored 13 each and Zydrunas Ilgauskas contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Paul Pierce led Boston with 14 points. Only two other Celtics finished in double figures. Glen Davis had 12 and reserve Mikki Moore scored 10.
Boston's starting guards wound up with 11 points in total. Ray Allen scored six and Rajon Rondo had five.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he thought his players forgot how to play as a team.
"Every guy thought, 'You know what? I am going to win this game for us tonight'," Rivers said. "I told our guys I understand that you want to win, but that's not how you win.
"You win by playing together. We have been such a great ball movement team, but we were not tonight."
In Miami, Dwyane Wade scored 55 points, one shy of the franchise record, and the Heat wrapped up the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference by beating New York.
Miami will play fourth-seeded Atlanta in the first round of the playoffs.
Wade shot 19-for-30 from the field, set a career high with six three-pointers, and nearly topped Glen Rice's team record of 56 points before leaving with 1:06 left.
Michael Beasley finished with 28 points and 16 rebounds for the Heat, who also got 15 points from Mario Chalmers.
Al Harrington and Tyson Chandler each scored 21 points for New York.
In Los Angeles, Andrew Bynum scored 18 points in his third game back from a knee injury to help the Lakers to victory.
Kobe Bryant took just nine shots, made seven, and finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Pau Gasol, often matched against his brother Marc in the middle, scored 12 points and had 13 rebounds.
The seven-foot Bynum, who missed 32 games after tearing a ligament in his right knee on January 31, played 25:03 against the Grizzlies. He went 6-of-10 from the floor and had five rebounds.
O.J. Mayo led the Grizzlies with 20 points, and Marc Gasol had 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
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