LeBron James and rookie Jayson Tatum became the main protagonists of the NBA playoffs by leading their respective teams of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics to victories that put them closer to the finals of the NBA. Eastern Conference.
James returned to give another exhibition by contributing 43 points and 14 assists that allowed the Cavaliers to roll home 110-128 to the Toronto Raptors in the second match of the Eastern Conference semifinals that dominate 2-0 to best of seven .
James established another brand in the history of the NBA by being the first player to get a double-double of 40 or more points and 14 assists.
Along with James, who beat the 40-point barrier for the second consecutive game, power forward Kevin Love achieved another double-double of 31 points and 11 rebounds that were also decisive.
Despite remaining on the doorstep of what would have been his second consecutive triple-double, he captured eight rebounds, James, who scored 19 of 28 field goals, starred in another dominant performance in all facets of the game, not caring about the rejection he causes Their Cavaliers are 18-1 in the playoff series in which they won the first and second games.
Guard DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points and point guard Kyle Lowry reached 21 points as the attack leaders for the Raptors, who were the team with the best record during the regular season with 59 wins. Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas scored 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Backup reserve Fred VanVleet scored another 14 points, which also did not prevent what was the Raptors’ second straight loss at their Air Canada Center field, something that had never happened before in the entire regular season competition and in the first round of the playoffs.
The series moves to Cleveland, where Saturday, in the Quickens Loans Arena, will play the third game and the fourth, also on the same stage, is scheduled for next Monday.
Tatum contributed 21 points and led the comeback of 22 points of the Celtics in the second match of the Eastern Conference semifinals that played against the Philadelphia Sixers and those who won by 108-103.
The victory allowed the Celtics to complete a comeback of 22 points and take a 2-0 lead in the series that plays the best of seven.
The Celtics had not gotten such a high comeback in playoff games since the quarter-final of the 2008 NBA when they overcame a 24-point deficit against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The competition moves to Wells Fargo in Philadelphia, where the next two matches will be played – third and fourth – next Saturday and Monday, respectively.
Tatum, who had received the praise of the legendary Julius Erving, the great legend of the Sixers, when he declared that he could have been chosen the first in the past university draw instead of the third, he responded with facts in the field to leave it well.
Base Terry Rozier, the third year, who took the place of Kyrie Irving, the franchise player who was injured at the end of the regular season and will not see action until the next league, confirmed that his great performance in the field it has been decisive in the triumphs of the Celtics.
Rozier responded with 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, while guard Marcus Smart was also a winning factor with 19 goals and five sacks under the hoops that helped the Celtics to have a perfect 6-0 mark in the matches they played. They have been in contention since the playoffs began.
The center pivot Al Horford was once again the player who put the experience, his class and a great contribution of equipment to get a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds, including nine defensive, in the 37 minutes he was on the court of the TD Garden.
While guard J.J. Reddick with 23 points, including five triples, was the leader of the Sixers attack, which also had the support of forward Robert Covington to get 22 points and nine rebounds.
Embiid finished the game with a double-double of 20 points and 14 rebounds and five assists, but neither could be a winning factor, much less his teammate rookie baseman, Australian Ben Simmons who missed everything he shot and ended with a only so much, the one that achieved from the personnel line (1-2). efe
