Last night the Cavaliers followed up a 121-98 Game 4 victory over the Chicago Bulls in Chicago on Sunday with a 96-94 series-clinching (4-1) Game 5 victory in Cleveland in their best of seven Eastern Conference Quarter-final. The Cavs previously dropped Game 3 in Chicago 108-106 on Thursday.
The Cavs took care of business relatively quick in this series, with the lone blemish coming in a narrow defeat in Game 3. I was extremely pleased with the way the Cavs handled their first bit of adversity during these playoffs, as they rebounded to crush the Bulls in Game 4 by 23 points on the road. LeBron was incredible in Game 4, making half-court jumpers and finishing with an enormous stat line of 37-12-11. LeBron didn’t have the same monster performance in Game 5, but fortunately the Cavs got just enough production from the supporting cast to close out this series. Jamison looked like the player the Cavs hoped for when they acquired him midseason, draining shot after shot en route to a 20-point first half. And during one sequence at the start of the 4th quarter, Shaq looked like the dominant Shaq of playoffs past. Four consecutive half-court sets featured an entry pass to Shaq in the post; the first three resulted in Bulls fouls and the fourth resulted in a spin-and-slam dunk by Shaq that electrified the crowd and frustrated the Bulls. Eventually, Gibson and Miller would foul out and Noah would finish with 5 fouls due to the Shaq effect.
Now hopefully Noah will enjoy his summer vacation. Perhaps he can spend a few extra days in Cleveland. As for the Cavs, the playoffs will now kick up a notch as Boston awaits in Round 2 of the Cavs’ revenge tour. It should be a phenomenal series. Got to like the Cavs chances though, as the Celtics are in their last stand with their current core of players. If the Cavs play their game, there’s no reason that series can’t end in 5 just like this one.
Cavs will and have to win the championship.
Go Cavs!