THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2008
SPORTS
9B
>> NBA
Celtics defeat Cavaliers in first Eastern Conference game
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James shoots between Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett, right, and Kendrick Perkins, left, Tuesday.
Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James reaches for the ball after losing control on a drive for the basket past Boston Celtics' Kendrick Perkins during the first quarter of Game 1 of an NBA Eastern Conference semifinal basketball series in Boston, Tuesday.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James wipes his face during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA Eastern Conference semifinal basketball series against the Boston Celtics in Boston on Tuesday.
Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James tries to strip the ball from Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce during the first quarter of Game 1 of an NBA Eastern Conference semifinal basketball series in Boston on Tuesday.
LeBron James misses game-tying basket; Boston wins 76-72
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOSTON — LeBron James couldn't make a basket down the stretch — or at virtually any other time — and the Boston Celtics eked out a 76-72 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night in the opener of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Kevin Garnett scored 28 points to make up for an off night for the rest of Boston's Big Three.
James was held to 12 points on 2-for-18 shooting. He missed three drives and a 3-pointer in the final minute.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Game 2 is Thursday night in Boston.
James scored Cleveland's first basket and then missed his next 10 shots before driving for a layup that cut Boston's lead to 66-65 with 5:34 left.
He then missed his last six shots, including a potential game-tying finger roll that bounced off the inside of the rim with 8.5 seconds left. James scored just two points in the second half while finishing with nine rebounds, nine assists and 10 turnovers.
Rajon Rondo scored all 15 of his points in the first half, and Kendrick Perkins grabbed 12 rebounds for the Celtics. Paul Pierce drew two charging fouts while guarding James but scored just four points on 2-for-14 shooting, and Ray Allen (0-for-4) didn't score.
But at least they had Garnett.
Boston led 68-65 when Daniel Gibson hit a 3-pointer to tie it with 3:18 left.
Zydrunas Igauskas had 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 31 percent and couldn't make a basket at the end of the game.
MLB
Rick Ankiel hit his six homer of the season and Ryan Ludwick finished 4-for-4 with two doubles as the Cardinals won for the eighth win in 10 games.
DENVER — Braden Looper pitched into the ninth inning in the longest outing of his career and went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and the St. Louis Cardinals hung on for a 6-5 win over the slumping Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.
Igauskas made a jumper on a feed from James with 90 seconds left, then Garnett hit a fallaway to make it 70-all. James drove against Pierce and flopped to the court while throwing up a desperation lavup that wasn't close.
Rockies pitcher played the longest outing of his career
Looper (5-1) was two outs away from his first career complete game, but was pulled after back-to-back singles by Todd Helton and pinch hitter Ryan Spilorgsbor.
Sam Cassell made two free
throws to tie it 72-72; James missed again, but this time ligauskas was there to tip it in and tie the game. Garnett moved across the lane to give Boston back the lead, 74-72 as Cleveland called a timeout with 22 seconds left.
James dribbled at the point before finding a lane to the basket, but his shot wouldn't fall and James Posey was fouled after grabbing the rebound. He hit both free throws.
James missed a long but meaningless Jumper to punctuate his night.
someone will have to beat them at home to derail their hopes of a league-record 17th championship. The Cavaliers managed to stay closed by hitting 22 free throws (to Boston's 14), and by taking advantage of 21 Celtics turnovers.
Ryan Franklin picked up his first save of the season, but it didn't come easy. After striking out Brad Hawpe, Franklin gave up a two-run double to Chris Iannetta and a run-scoring double to Clint Barmes before getting Jeff Baker to fly out to center.
The Celtics won an NBA-best 66 games in the regular season, and
seven shots — four by Pierce — while Cleveland opened a 5-0 lead. Then Boston scored the next eight, and 16 of 20 points, en route to a 25-15 lead after one quarter.
19. shots — a trend that would continue.
Garnett scored 12 points in the first quarter and Rondo had eight while Cleveland made just four of
The Celtics missed their first
Garnett made the first two free throws of the second half — reaching 20 points a minute into the third quarter — but the Cavaliers scored the next 14 points, eight by Ilgauskas.
Associated Press
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