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chipped in with 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 5 assists.

      Game two was not nearly as close, and the Cavaliers blew out the Wizards 116–86. It was a 30-point victory that proved how good Cleveland could be when running on all four cylinders. LeBron had another incredible night with 30 points, 12 assists, 2 blocked shots, and 9 rebounds. It was an impressive night for The King. Wally Szczerbiak hit 2 three-pointers on his way to a 15-point night. He was starting at shooting guard while West ran the point. They would travel to Washington with a commanding 2–0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

      Washington returned the favor in game three and blew out the Cavaliers at home by a score of 108–72. LeBron had 22 points, but only one other player was able to score in double digits. It was a poor effort that allowed Washington back into the series. LeBron would need more support from his surrounding cast if they were going to do anything in the playoffs.

      Game four was a back-and-forth affair that would come down to the wire once again. The Wizards held a four-point lead after the first quarter of action. The Cavaliers outscored them in the second quarter 30–16 to take a 10-point lead into halftime. Washington cut into the lead in the third quarter and only trailed by seven heading into the fourth. The gamed continued to be close, but in the end the Cavaliers managed to hang on for a 100–97 win. It gave the team a stranglehold on the series heading back home for game five.

      This game was another impressive effort by LeBron, as he scored 34 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. He was becoming an unstoppable monster in the playoffs once again. West also showed that he could be a great number-two scoring threat behind LeBron, chipping in with 21 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Game five back in Cleveland saw Washington slip by with a razor-thin win of 88–87. LeBron scored with ease again, finishing with 34 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. The effort by LeBron was amazing but not enough, and the series was headed back to Washington for game six.

      Washington used a 31-point first quarter at home in game six to take an early four-point lead. The Cavaliers held the Washington offense in check in the second quarter, allowing only 17 points and taking a 56–48 lead into halftime. They were only 24 minutes away from reaching the next round, and they came out of the half with the full intent on shutting Washington down for good. The Cavaliers outscored the Wizards 23–16 and took a 15-point lead heading into the final frame. Washington managed to cut into the lead a tiny bit, but the Cavaliers were just too much to overcome and won the game 105–88. Cleveland was headed back to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals for the third straight year.

      The game six–clinching win was highlighted by a 27-point scoring effort from LeBron and 26 points scored by Szczerbiak, including an incredible 6 three-pointers that broke the spirit of Washington and its fans. Gibson also scored 22 points off the bench, including 4 three-pointers of his own. The Cavaliers would need the momentum and positive energy to continue, as they were about to face the team with the NBA’s best record in the next round: the Boston Celtics.

      With the major acquisitions of perennial all-stars Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the off-season, the Boston Celtics finished the season with a record of 66–16 and posted the best single-season turnaround in NBA history, improving by 42 wins from the previous season. Garnett was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year, while NBA executive Danny Ainge, who had executed what was deemed as “the most dramatic NBA turnaround ever,” was named NBA Executive of the Year. With Paul Pierce already on the roster of the Boston Celtics, Garnett, Ray, and Pierce became known as the new “Big Three.” The Celtics were the first team to form a super group of talent in free agency and trade. The Celtics also had a highly talented rookie point guard from Kentucky, Rajon Rondo.

      The Cavaliers were going to have their work cut out for them, because Boston was heavily favored to win the NBA Championship that year. The Celtics were coming off of a surprisingly grueling seven-game series against the Atlanta Hawks, where the Hawks shocked everyone by pushing Boston to play all seven games before Boston was finally able to put them away. Boston showed signs of fatigue in game one, and the Cavaliers hung in there until the very end. A clutch shot by Kevin Garnett in the closing minute was enough to seal the win for Boston, 76–72.

      Cleveland couldn’t recover in time from the close game-one loss and got blown out in game two, 89–73. The physical play by Boston was too much for Cleveland to overcome, as LeBron was just 8 for 42 in their first two games. The series was on its way back to Cleveland, and the Cavaliers would have to find the answer quickly.

      Cleveland entered game three in full desperation mode for a victory. A three-game deficit would be too much for any team to come back from, let alone against the league’s best team. Cleveland was taking no chances by jumping out to an early first-quarter lead of 32–13 and never looked back. The Cavaliers steamrolled the Celtics all night en route to a 108–84 victory. LeBron and West both had 21 points each in the win. LeBron stayed hot in game four with another 21 points, and the Cavaliers pulled off the victory 88–77 to even up the series at two games apiece.

      The pivotal game five of this epic series returned to the TD Garden arena in Boston. Cleveland was full of confidence and the series was up for grabs. Cleveland used a high-energy defensive effort to take a 46–43 halftime lead. The Cavaliers were shutting down the Celtics’ “Big Three” and looked to have an excellent chance to steal one on the road. A familiar problem then crept up on the Cavaliers: Once again, they failed to come out ready for the second half and couldn’t keep pace with the Celtics after Boston’s head coach, Doc Rivers, made some key adjustments. Boston outscored the Cavaliers 29–17 in the third quarter and took a 9-point lead into the final quarter.

      LeBron and the Cavaliers fought hard to make it close, but in the end Cleveland dropped game five to the Celtics, 97–89. It was a frustrating loss for the team, as they fought hard all night, but the weak third-quarter effort was their ultimate downfall. LeBron scored 35 points and West scored 21 in the losing effort. But they received almost no help at all from the bench and dropped the pivotal game.

      The Cavaliers defense stepped up big-time in game six back at Cleveland by holding the Celtics to only 69 points. The Cavaliers swarmed Boston’s shooters all night long and forced a deciding game seven by taking game six, 74–69. LeBron took matters into his own hands by putting up 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. The series was headed back to Boston for a decisive game seven.

      Few words in sports excite fans more than “game seven.” This had been a classic series already, and the game-seven showdown was set to capture the attention of the nation. Boston had the best record in the league and was the heavy favorite to win it all; Cleveland was the defending champ with arguably the world’s best player. It was the final battle of two heavyweight powers that had already gone six brutal rounds and was set for a thrilling finish.

      Game seven at first looked like a blowout—Boston came out of the gate with all guns blazing. By halftime, the Celtics led 50–40 and had the Cavaliers beat in almost every category. At halftime, however, Coach Brown made some crucial adjustments that enabled the Cavaliers to come roaring back in the third quarter and cut the lead down to five points heading into the fourth quarter. Then an incredible duel between Pierce and LeBron developed, with Pierce finishing with 41 points and LeBron scoring 45. In the end, Boston did just enough to win the game 97–92 and take the series, sending Cleveland home and ending their bid to repeat as Eastern Conference Champions.

      It was a hard-fought series for Cleveland in which they surprised many fans and media members with how well they played and how far they pushed Boston. It was encouraging to see the new players mesh so well together, leaving a hopeful impression that the team would only get better with a full off-season of working out and fine tuning. LeBron only had two years left on his contract, and one final push for a championship was set to begin in MVP fashion!

      LeBron slaps hands with the fans on the sidelines.

      Photo: Fran Morino

      CHAPTER FIVE

      The Ascension

      The Cavaliers were on a mission to make up for their early

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