Doesn?t Lebron get tired?
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 08 May 2018
How the Toronto Raptors wish the world?s best basketball player today would. At least in the next three games of their NBA semifinal round meeting with LBJ and the Cleveland Cavaliers to tie the best-of-seven series and escape the ignominy of being swept anew.
James had another monster game on Saturday to help his Cleveland Cavaliers take a 3-0 series lead against the Raptors, winning 105-103 with the Cavs? spiritual leader delivering a dagger of a floater using the window with the game clock striking near zero.
Sign that James had no intension of having respite until he finishes the job to set the stage for a Eastern Conference Finals showdown with, most-likely, the Boston Celtics, who, similarly, led the Philadelphia 76ers, 3-0 in their own semis encounter.
James was asked about having the mental edge against Toronto in the postseason and deflected in his response.
?You guys can have that narrative on how you guys feel about that mental edge or whatever the case may be. For me personally, my mental edge is how I prepare myself every night ? how I go about the game plan, trying to not make mistakes. And if I do make mistakes, making sure I don?t do it again,? James said.
LeBron?s Cavs have eliminated the Raptors from the postseason two years in a row and are looking to make it three. Two years ago the teams met in the conference finals, while this is the second year in a row they?re meeting in the conference semis.
Over at the Western Conference semifinal round front, the Golden State Warriors, likewise, moved within one more victory of advancing to the Finals following a 118-92 demolition of the New Orleans Pelicans in Game 4 on Sunday.
Coach Steve Kerr, in a rare move, started with a deadly combination of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodola, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green ? called ?Hampton Five? or ?Death Lineup?-- and the Warriors got off to a great start, building a double-digit lead within the first four minutes and would never trail at any point in the contest.
Durant proved unstoppable in a persona high 38 points to lead all scorers, besides collecting nine rebounds and five assists. Curry added 23 points on four three-pointers, while Green just missed another triple-double with eight points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
The Houston Rockets routed the Utah Jazz, 113-92, in Salt Lake City on Friday to go ahead, 2-1, and regain home court advantage in their side of the Western Conference NBA playoffs.
Stung by 116-108 game-two defeat on their home floor, the Rockets responded with a vengeance. Rockets star James Harden scored 25 points with 12 assists in 30 minutes on the court.
Eric Gordon added another 25 points in a merciless display by a Rockets team that led the league with 65 regular-season victories.
At various occasions throughout his successful handling of the Warriors, Kerr, never once had that fivesome been used to start a game?until Sunday. Coming off a humbling defeat in Game 3, Kerr went to his secret weapon a he served notice to the opposition of what to come from hereon until the day they?re again crowned champions.
Curry?s four of his nine three-point attempts passed Manu Ginobli for third place on the NBA?s all-time threes list. Sunday?s game was also Curry?s 78th career playoff game, passing Jeff Mullins? 77 for the third-most postseason games played in Warriors history, trailing only Thompson?s 90 and Draymond Green.? 89.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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