| Garnett and Lebron exchange words as Celtics hold off Cavs | ||
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BOSTON -- Ray Allen scored a season-high 33 points, hitting his sixth 3-pointer to give the Celtics a four-point lead with 48 seconds left, and Boston held on despite 42 points from LeBron James to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-113 on Sunday. The win snapped a three-game home losing streak for Boston, and it kept the Cavaliers from clinching home-court advantage for the entire postseason. James scored 20 in the fourth quarter, when the Cavs erased a 17-point lead and took their first lead at 104-103 with 2:58 left. But he missed two free throws in the last 16 seconds and a 3-point attempt on a fast break with 3.2 seconds left when a 2-pointer would have tied it. James was 0 for 9 from 3-point range, including a meaningless, unguarded shot at the final buzzer that bounced off the rim. Afterward, he and Kevin Garnett exchanged dirty looks -- a fitting end to a game that featured six technicals and Cleveland coach Mike Brown's ejection. Garnett scored 19 points, Paul Pierce had 16 and Kendrick Perkins had 10 points and 10 rebounds to help Boston even the season series with Cleveland at 2-2. If the standings hold and the favorites prevail, the Celtics and Cavaliers would meet in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Antawn Jamison scored 16 points with 10 rebounds, and J.J. Hickson had 14 and 11 for Cleveland, which would earn home-court advantage through the NBA finals with its next win or the next Los Angeles Lakers loss. The Lakers played the San Antonio Spurs later Sunday. Cleveland lost for just the third time in its last 20 games. The Celtics led by eight in the opening minutes and 15 at the half when Rajon Rondo, after taking an inbounds pass with 2.5 seconds left, hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Boston led 98-81 at the end of three, but Cleveland scored 23 of the first 28 points in the fourth quarter. |
