James, Cavs try to stave off elimination in Boston
Basketball Betting Lines
05/13/2010 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - You can blame it on the balky elbow, a shaky supporting
cast or the numerous off-court distractions that follow the NBA's best player
around on a daily basis.
Whatever the excuse, LeBron James will head to TD Garden tonight knowing his
legacy in Cleveland is on the line, as the Cavs try and stave off elimination
in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the underdog Boston Celtics.
Persistent rumors have James opting-out of his contract after the season for
the lure of the bright lights in the big city, either New York or Chicago.
So, the two-time reigning NBA MVP, who is coming off one of the worst playoff
performances of his career during the pivotal Game 5 of the set in Cleveland
on Tuesday, could be playing his last game in a Cavs uniform tonight.
Ray Allen went 6-of-9 from three-point range en route to 25 points in Game 5,
as the Celtics used a balanced scoring attack and a strong defensive effort to
rout the Cavaliers, 120-88, and take the 3-2 series advantage.
Paul Pierce, who had averaged just under 12 points in this series prior to
Tuesday, added 21 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for Boston, which is
on the verge of eliminating Cleveland from the postseason for the second time
in three years.
Kevin Garnett posted 18 points and six boards, while Rajon Rondo had 16 with
seven assists.
"We're a defensive team that can score the ball, and we have to hang our hat
on that," Garnett said.
The Celtics now stand one game away from facing the Orlando Magic in the
conference finals. Boston used its trademark defense to hold Cleveland to 41.2
percent from the field while winning the rebounding battle, 41-31.
"It was team defense," said Celtics head coach Doc Rivers. "I thought our guys
-- Rondo, all of them -- they got into their space, they showed help the
entire game. Every single guy was in the right spot the entire game, and I
thought that was more than one individual. In terms of a group, this was one
of our best defensive jobs."
Most notably affected was James, who ended with just 15 points and didn't
record his first field goal until midway through the third quarter. He shot a
miserable 3-of-14 from the field and was held under 20 points in a postseason
game for the first time since scoring 12 on May 6, 2008 against these same
Celtics.
"I think (the Celtics') defense had a bit to do with (my performance) because
they're on the court and they're aggressive," James said. "I just missed a lot
of shots I'm capable of making. You don't see it out of me a lot, so when you
see it, it's a big surprise."
Shaquille O'Neal chipped in with 21 points, but the rest of the Cavs were
largely held in check. Anthony Parker had 14 points, but Antawn Jamison and Mo
Williams combined to shoot 7-of-18 and had nine points apiece.
"Tough game. It's a disappointing game," said Cavs head coach Mike Brown.
"There was little that we did right throughout the course of the game. We
can't dismiss this game. We have to look at it and see what we can do better
next game. In Game 6, we'll learn a lot about ourselves, and that's what we
have to get ready for."
The Cavs and Celtics split four games in the regular season while both clubs
finished off their opening round opponents this year in just five games, as
Cleveland dispensed of Central Division rival Chicago, and the Celtics sent
the Miami Heat back to South Beach.
The teams have met four times previously in the postseason dating back to the
1975-76 season when Boston won the Eastern Conference finals over the Cavs in
six games. The C's also won a first round series over Cleveland in 1984-85,
and in the East semis in 2007-08. The Cavs only win in the postseason over
Boston came in the East semifinals during the 1991-92 season, also a seven-
game set.
A deciding Game 7, if necessary, will be back in Cleveland on Sunday.
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(September 14) – Week one of NFL action saw three teams go scoreless for the first time since 1977. Another four were unable to get a touchdown and almost half of the underdogs covered the spread. Those three teams saved bettors at MySportsbook.com from losing out completely, thanks to the company’s unique NFL Shutout Rule -- which ensures that if the team you backed goes scoreless, your wager is refunded.
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