GAME THREAD: NBA: DETROIT (10-5) at CLEVELAND (11-4)

NBA: DETROIT (10-5) at CLEVELAND (11-4)

<h3>James determined to lead Cavs to first NBA Finals</h3>

<div class="pre">Detroit at Cleveland 8:30 pm EDT</div><div class="pre">Eastern Conference Finals Game Six Cavs lead series, 3-2</div>

CLEVELAND (Ticker) - LeBron James is on the cusp of greatness.

James was superhuman in leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a109-107 double-overtime win on Thursday, and now aims for hisfirst-ever trip to the NBA Finals. He will get there if theCavaliers can win Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finalsagainst the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.

James was unconscious in the fourth quarter and both overtime<div class="pre">periods, scoring the Cavaliers' final 25 points - as well as 29</div>of their last 30. He finished with 48 points and also addednine rebounds and seven assists.

After James was criticized for his passive play in Games One andTwo, both three point losses, he willed his team to the win andthe brink of the first Finals appearance in franchise history.

The Akron, Ohio native capped his brilliant performance with adriving layup with 2.2 seconds left to send a crowd of raucousPistons fans home angry. In doing so "King" James did somethingeven Michael Jordan never accomplished - he became the firstplayer ever to score 25 straight points in a playoff game.

"LeBron was huge," said Cavs forward Drew Gooden, whose freethrow late in regulation was the only one of Cleveland's final30 points not scored by James.

"I fouled out so I was on the bench watching it, but I felt likeI was playing a video game out there with the Cavaliers - justwatching him take over like in a video game."

James show his whole repertoire. The 22-year-old split doubleteams, flashed a killer cross-over dribble and threw downthunderous dunks. He also showed his range, raising up overdefenders to drain a huge 3-pointer that tied the game at107-107 with 1:14 left in the second overtime.

"He was in a zone tonight," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said."He made some phenomenal shots. I thought the shot he had infront of our bench to tie it up when we were up three, off tothe left and going up, he was in an unbelievable zone."

"I made a lot of good moves and I was able to finish," Jamessaid. "It wasn't just like they opened up the lane and let methrough there. I made a lot of good moves, my teammates did agood job of spacing the floor and I just wanted to try tofinish."

James is going to do his best to help the Cavs avoid deja vu.Cleveland held a 3-2 led in the semifinals last season, butRasheed Wallace and company closed out the series at home.

However, now Detroit will need to stop James on the road if theyare to stay alive.

"It ain't no different. We've been in a hole before," Wallacesaid. "Believe it or not, the year we won against (New) Jersey,we were down going back to Jersey, same way, 3-2."

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS


DETROIT AT CLEVELAND - PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS


DETROIT CLEVELAND

F Rasheed Wallace F Drew Gooden
F Tayshaun Prince F LeBron James
C Chris Webber C Zydrunas Ilgauskas
G Chauncey Billups G Larry Hughes
G Richard Hamilton G Aleksandar Pavlovic

OFFICIALS: Jack Nies
Joe Derosa
Eddie F. Rush</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 8
CLEVELAND 6 8:45 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 14
CLEVELAND 13 5:40 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 19
CLEVELAND 20 2:45 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 21
CLEVELAND 27 END, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DETROIT 21 21
CLEVELAND 27 27 END 1ST QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER

DET - CHRIS WEBBER 6, RICHARD HAMILTON 6,
CHAUNCEY BILLUPS 5
CLE - LARRY HUGHES 6, ALEKSANDAR PAVLOVIC 6,
ANDERSON VAREJAO 5</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA DETROIT AT CLEVELAND
NOTE: GAME DELAYED IN THE SECOND PERIOD DUE TO GAME AND
SHOTCLOCK ISSUES.</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA DETROIT AT CLEVELAND
NOTE: PLAY RESUMES.</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 27
CLEVELAND 31 8:40 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 34
CLEVELAND 36 5:48 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 41
CLEVELAND 43 3:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 48
CLEVELAND 48 HALFTIME</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DETROIT 21 27 48
CLEVELAND 27 21 48 HALFTIME

HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME

DET - RICHARD HAMILTON 16, RASHEED WALLACE 11,
CHRIS WEBBER 11
CLE - LARRY HUGHES 9, LEBRON JAMES 9,
ALEKSANDAR PAVLOVIC 8</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 54
CLEVELAND 52 9:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 58
CLEVELAND 58 5:45 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 63
CLEVELAND 62 2:30 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 66
CLEVELAND 67 END, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
DETROIT 21 27 18 66
CLEVELAND 27 21 19 67 END 3RD QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER

DET - RICHARD HAMILTON 21, CHRIS WEBBER 13,
RASHEED WALLACE 11
CLE - LEBRON JAMES 12, DANIEL GIBSON 12,
ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS 11</div>

 

NBA: DETROIT at CLEVELAND

<div class="pre">PLAYOFFS

NBA PLAYOFFS
DETROIT 69
CLEVELAND 79 9:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>