James takes over in crunch time
With 19 points and zero rebounds entering the fourth quarter, James appeared to be on the brink of breaking out into his elite form. He committed two early turnovers in the period, Dillon Brooks sunk a top-of-the-key three-pointer and the Cavaliers’ 18-point lead in the second half abruptly turned to a 109-109 tie with two minutes, 10 seconds left in regulation.
Then the 13-time All-Star, four-time MVP, three-time NBA champion and three-time NBA Finals MVP took matters into his own hands.
James found a crease in the defense, driving past the opposition to regain a two-point lead with one minute, 22 seconds remaining.
James maintained his downward momentum through the lane on the next possession, barreling past Brooks for another basket and a chance at a three-point play.
James displayed his signature move, jabbing his right foot inside the arc before stepping back and putting the nail in the coffin.
“When it’s winning time in the fourth quarter, [my teammates] want me to step up and do what I do best,” said James. “Very resilient on our behalf just to continue to keep our composure and execute late in the game.”
“We just kept our composure, just kept playing,” Lue said. “Bron took us home down the stretch.”
Once again, LeBron James put on a fourth-quarter spectacle when the Cavs needed it the most.
“You just shake your head, it’s impressive,” said Wade. “It’s like a good football team having a great field goal kicker. All you have to do is get close enough. We know that he’s going to make the right play.”
“LeBron just kicked it into another gear for us, especially in the fourth quarter,” Love said.
“I got to come through for my guys,” said James. “It’s just experience. I’ve been in a lot of big games, regular season or postseason or the finals. You have to come through for your teammates, just try to be as clutch as possible late in the game. Tonight was one of those opportunities for me and I was able to come through for my team.”
John Alfes has covered Cleveland sports since August of 2016. Follow him on Twitter @JohnAlfes for breaking news and in-depth coverage all season long.
Recent Comments