NBA PLAYOFFS -- Cavs oust Raptors to reach NBA Finals
By Homer D. Sayson
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 28 May 2016
CHICAGO -- The path got a little complicated midway through this Eastern Conference Finals but in the end, the Cleveland Cavaliers reached another milestone -- a return trip to this June's NBA Finals.
LeBron James made sure the Cavs won't have anymore hiccups, leading his young team with 33 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 blocks as Cleveland routed the Toronto Raptors, 113-87, to close out the 7-game series at 4-2 on Friday night at the Air Canada Centre.
Cleveland, which dropped Games 3 and 4 after blasting the Raptors by a combined 50 points in Games 1 and 2, pocketed Game 5 comfortably and jumped on the Raptors early in the clincher. The Cavs took a 55-41 halftime lead before pulling away for good at 106-83 in the final 4:10 of the fourth quarter.
"It means everything," LeBron James told ESPN after becoming the first player in 50 years to make sixth straight NBA Finals appearances.
With so much at stake deep in this postseason, James didn't have to carry the load all by himself.
Kyrie Irving registered 30 points and 9 assists while Kevin Love knocked down 20 with 12 boards. J.R. Smith swished by 3s for 15 points and Cleveland shot a blistering 54.1 percent from the field (40 of 74) and 54.8 percent from 3-point territory (17 of 31).
Unbeaten at home in this East Finals, the Raptors couldn't hold the fort in Game 6, shooting just 41.8 percent from the field (33 of 79). All-Stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combined for 55 points but no other Raptor finished in double figures in scoring. (HDS)
Photo: LeBron James dunks 2 of his 33 points en route to the Cavaliers' Game 6 series-clinching rout of the Toronto Raptors, 113-87.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Homer D. Sayson.
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