Irving’s 42, LeBron’s 34 pushes Cavs past Celtics in Game 4

It led to a bad loss, but could spark a fire that they need heading into the NBA Finals.

The Cleveland Cavaliers rebounded to down the Boston Celtics, 112-99, in the Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 23, 2017, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are one win away from another NBA Finals showdown with the Golden State Warriors, but coach Tyronn Lue isn’t ready to look ahead.

For the first half of Tuesday’s Game 4 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Celtics picked up where they left off in Game 3 in quieting LeBron James. It was the first time in his 14-year career he had that many fouls in the first half.

“I was saying to myself, ‘They can not tie up this series, they can not, ‘ ” Irving said. “We can’t go back to Boston tied 2-2”. He helped rally Cleveland from a 3-1 series deficit a year ago and hit the biggest shot in franchise history in Game 7.

“It certainly pleased James who said this after the game: “(Irving) took command.

Since Boston were without Isaiah Thomas due to a hip injury, the Cavaliers should have been able to keep the mojo going and dispatch the Celtics easily.

The visitors opened the game very well, and after 12 minutes they had 10 point lead.

James, Irving and Love were the only three Cavs players to make double digits.

James, however, wasn’t the best player on the floor in Game 4. The Cavs now hold a 3-1 series lead. We have to have low turnovers, and we have to try to make them miss because some of those guys play a lot better at home.

In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Washington Wizards, Thomas put up 33 points and 9 assists a few hours after attending his sister’s funeral as the Celtics took the series opener against the Wizards.

The second half scored 65-42, indicative of the Cavs starting to familiarise themselves with what the Celtics are doing without IT.

The Celtics were led by guard Avery Bradley, with 19 points.

It seems much more likely that the second Boston win will come in Game 4. He also sustained a strained left thigh in the third quarter but returned to the game.

LeBron James was far more assertive in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter.

The Celtics started the second half up 10 and went up 11 less than three minutes into the quarter on Jae Crowder’s finger-roll.

That’s why, when asked whether he is thinking about a possible third straight title meeting with the Warriors, Lue, whose team is up 3-1 on Boston, said, “You can’t”. “They were unbelievable. Irving was incredible at the end of the third, and then obviously LeBron had all those baskets in the fourth”. “I know a couple of my teammates have, and us as a team, we’ve been on both sides as well”. We were really good defensively.

Celtics: Thomas spoke to coach Brad Stevens and told him that he has visited one hip specialist and plans to see more before it’s decided if he needs surgery. “I feel great about where the team is”.

“They play with a lot of pride”, James said. “Those two guys were incredible”.

“There’s choices”, Stevens said. Game 5 Boston Celtics won leaving the score 123 to 101. Celtics ended up losing the first two games against the Chicago Bulls but ended the series with Celtics winning the last four games straight. She was born almost five months early.