James says Jordan chase is about motivation, not greatness

Record NBA play-off points by LeBron James as he leapfrogs Michael Jordan (5,987). Cleveland won the three road games in the series by a combined 90 points, the last two by a total of 77. The Cavs set an National Basketball Association record by winning their 13th consecutive series closeout opportunity.

The Golden State Warriors haven’t lost, the Cleveland Cavaliers were a buzzer beater away from achieving the same feat, and shocking upsets have been few and far between.

“I wear the number because of Mike”, James said. When you’re growing up and you’re seeing Michael Jordan, it’s nearly like a God.

In Game 5 against the Celtics on Thursday, James passed Michael Jordan as the leading all-time scorer in playoff history.

But there’s no denying that his accolades are putting him in the orbit of Jordan, his boyhood idol. “Like, I have an extra bone or something”, Thomas said. “That was my mindset. I couldn’t have made everybody (else) in the West better”.

Kyrie Irving, playing the role usually filled by LeBron James, scored 42 points to will the Cavs to a 3-1 series lead. But he said both he and his teammates continue to be inspired by their leader.

“I think the first thing for me was seeing the excitement on Kyle (Korver’s) and Deron (Williams’) face”, James said. “I want the fundamentals of the game to be as great as they can be”.

“This team is a insane team”. “When I first got there in 2004 – sitting behind the bench and the team was winning 32, 36 games every year – and you’d look out and there would still be 18,000 people in the stands every game and they were into it. We have to be ready for the challenge”. “As of tonight, I’ll get started”. Does he think this Celtics team has what it takes to dethrone the King next season?

In addition, a collection of elite talents (or players whose reputations precede them) doesn’t guarantee success. In Game 2, he scored 53 points – one shy of John Havlicek’s franchise record.

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. Irving concluded with 24 points and seven assists while Love tallied 15 points.

A rolled ankle did not push Kyrie Irving out of a powerful rhythm Tuesday night, but the Cleveland Cavaliers star believes his body could hate him once his adrenaline subsides.

Irving kept Cleveland within striking distance while James was out by scoring 12 points over the final 5:11 of the second quarter. But the Eastern Conference would have played out the same, and the Western Conference may have had the same, or similar results, as well. Will they become the first team in National Basketball Association history to go undefeated in a postseason?

It never happened between Magic Johnson’s Lakers and Larry Bird’s Celtics. The Celtics observed a moment of silence for the victims of Monday’s bombing in Manchester, England.

The first game of the best-of-seven finals is slated for Thursday, June 1, United States time, which means Australian fans can catch it on Friday, June 2.

The injury knocked the Boston point guard out of the Eastern Conference finals in Game 2. “Not the way that we wanted to finish, but I felt like we came a long way from the beginning of the year, and we came together, and that was fun to be a part of”.

Celtics’ Thomas visits specialist • Boston star guard Isaiah Thomas has visited one hip specialist and plans to see others.