Cavs beat Pistons to even series
CLEVELAND: LeBron James scored 25 points - 13 in the fourth quarter - and rookie Daniel Gibson added a season-high 21 as the Cleveland Cavaliers evened the Eastern Conference finals with a 91-87 victory over the Detroit Pistons in Game 4 on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old Gibson made 12 of 12 free throws, Drew Gooden added 19 points and Eric Snow hit a crucial free throw in the final seconds as the Cavaliers moved within two victories of their first trip to the finals.
They'll have to win at least once in Detroit to get there.
James, criticized for his fourth-quarter failures in Games 1 and 2 at Detroit, had a virtuoso-like performance in the final 12 minutes. He went 4-of-6 from the field, 5-of-5 from the line and added four rebounds and three assists.
"I told my teammates, 'Get me to the fourth and it's close, and I'll try my best to win,"' James said.
He made good on his word.
Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James (23) celebrates with teammates with four seconds remaining after he made two free throws as his team defeated the Detroit Pistons in Game 4 of the NBA's Eastern Conference basketball series in Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday. Reuters |
"It's very big to get the monkey off my back by knocking down those two big free throws," he said.
Cleveland coach Mike Brown called the win "a total team effort".
Chauncey Billups led the Pistons with 23 points and nine rebounds, but was cold down the stretch. Richard Hamilton contributed 19 points for Detroit, despite 9-for-21 shooting from the field.
"We can't worry about it now," said Detroit's Tayshaun Prince, who had 15 points.
"We gotta go home, regroup and take care of business."
Should they go on to beat Detroit, the Cavaliers would become just the third team in NBA history to overturn an 0-2 deficit in a conference finals series.
Game 5 is on Thursday night in Auburn Hills, Michigan, with Game 6 back at Quicken Loans on Saturday.
The Cavaliers, who lost a seven-game series to Detroit last year, are making just their third visit to the conference finals and each time they've been tied 2-2 before losing in six games.
When he was drafted, James promised to bring the championship-starved city its first title since 1964, and he's closing in on one quicker than anyone expected.
"The series is a lot better being 2-2 than 3-1 and going back to Detroit," James said. "I had to be aggressive in the fourth quarter and step up."
Cleveland's third quarter woes in the series continued as the Pistons opened the second half on an 8-0 run to take a 51-50 lead.
The Cavaliers, who had been outscored 63-43 in the third over the first three games of the series, were held scoreless in the quarter until Zydrunas Ilgauskas hit a free throw at the seven-minute mark to tie the game at 51-51.
After Gibson scored six consecutive points to give Cleveland the lead, the Pistons went on their second 8-0 run of the quarter to regain the lead.
Led by Richard Hamilton's nine points, Detroit outscored Cleveland 24-15 in the third and carried a 67-65 advantage into the fourth.
Agencies/AFP
(China Daily 05/31/2007 page24)
