NBA Playoffs 08 Game 7 Boston 97-92 Cavs (Pierce vs Lebron)

cavs should win that game
BOSTON, May 18 (AP) -- Paul Pierce hit a shot. Then LeBron James answered. Pierce hit another and so did James.

It was like that all game long, two of the NBA's best trying to carry their teams to the next round. Pierce and the Boston Celtics succeeded, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 97-92 on Sunday.

Twenty years earlier there was another thrilling shootout in another seventh game of the Eastern Conference semifinals in Boston -- Larry Bird vs. Dominique Wilkins.

And the result was the same: a narrow Celtics victory that sent them to the conference finals against Detroit.

Pierce scored 41 points, James had 45 and Boston remained unbeaten in the playoffs at home, where the first two games against the Pistons will be played Tuesday and Thursday night.

"It is a great feeling," Pierce said. "We knew this was going to be a tough, tough series."

In a seven-game series in which the road team never won, the Celtics had many green-clad fans on their side. Lucky the Mascot held up a sign reading, "ROCK THE GARDEN!" and the crowd roared. Pierce got the loudest ovation when he was introduced with his nickname, "The Truth."

And when the game started, one fan bellowed, "Not today, LeBron!"

It wasn't Wilkins' day on May 22, 1988, even though he outscored Bird in Boston's 118-116 win over Atlanta at the old Boston Garden. Wilkins finished with 47 points, with 16 in the fourth quarter, and Bird had 34, with 20 in the final period.

"I'm very aware of the game," Pierce said. "They don't ever let you forget it when you look up to the jumbotron."

James has seen plenty of highlights of that mano-a-mano tussle.

"We both tried to will our team to victory and, just like Dominique Wilkins, I ended up on the short end and the Celtics won again," he said. "I think the second round of the postseason, Game 7, these fans will finally have an opportunity to forget a little bit about what Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins did and remember what Paul and LeBron did.

"This will go down in history."

Pierce hit 13 of 23 shots and James went 14-for-29.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• lebron
• james
• paul
• pierce
• playoffs
• 08

[Gmckie335]

Pierce isn't better than LeBron, Pierce isn't even that good. On a team with bums look what LeBron did, he had the best record 2 years running and the year the Cavs got to the finals, that team was all LeBron. Look at what Pierce did the year before the big 3 formed... The Celtics were a joke, Pierce couldn't do shit to make his teammates better. He's not making Ray Allen or KG better, they're good anyway. Just like before Gasol, Kobe never got his team to the finals on his own nor did Pierce o

[buckda54]

@BT9110 Btw, Celtics won as a "team"...

[Sunnybfoshow]

@Gmckie335 Why dont you shut up bro, the celts are a team, and lebron is an ass

[LeChatDeNoir13]

Not even a King can handle The Truth

[jaronious89]

@Gmckie335 the funny things is that excuse never came about until they lost in the playoffs. lebron gets off on the blame ALLLLLL THE TIME. if they don't win this year its gonna be oh bosh and wade didnt play good enugh for him. throughout those 2-3 years, no media no critics or analysts ANYWHERE said how the cavs were all lebron. everyone said how complete of a team they were blah blah blah good point guard in mo williams...and then when they lose everyone says it was only lebron. i say bull.

[abmmwl]

You can't hate the Heat for teaming up to win. The Celtics did the exact acme thing.

[tyakack]

@Gmckie335 No shit pierce isn't better than lebron. But to say he isn't that good?! Stop talking.

[buckda54]

@BT9110 Oh wait, I thought u were saying Pierce shows up for his team right?...Or now you trying to say the TEAM shows up...

[BT9110]

@buckda54 Thats hows its done by team yes and my point is Lebron will never win one without realizing that cause he chokes and is never a team guy

[buckda54]

@BT9110 Yea Pierce has a ring with rondo, kg, ray ray, kp, eddie house, rasheed wallace, james posey, tony allen, etc.(shooters)...Miami lost in the Finals with just LeBron, Wade, and Bosh.....