LeBron James Scores 45 as Cavs Beat Pacers

Yesterday, the Cleveland Cavaliers were on the verge of elimination. The Cavaliers found themselves in a win or go home situation. If the Cavs wanted to advance, this game was a must win. The Cavs prevailed and beat the Pacers 105-101 to close out the series.

Yesterday, The Cavs hosted the Indiana Pacers at Quicken Loans arena. The Pacers forced a Game seven after a blowout win over the Cavs on Friday. The Pacers won by 34 points. Pacers Guard Victor Oladipo led the team with a triple-double. He had 28 points, 13 rebounds, and ten assists. The Pacers had seven players score in double figures. For the Cavs, only three players scored in double figures. The Cavs needed to redeem themselves after Friday's bad loss.

The Cavs stepped up when it was necessary. They started yesterday's game with a 31 point first quarter. The Cavs had a 54-43 lead.

In the third quarter, the Pacers made a comeback. The Pacers scored 31 points in this quarter, and went on a 20-5 over the Cavs. The Cavaliers had a rough third quarter, and it almost became worse. Towards the end of the third quarter, LeBron James exited the game. James went back to the locker room after having leg cramps. Team doctors offered LeBron IV fluids, but he declined. He came back to the Cavs bench at the start of the fourth quarter.

LeBron James finished the game with 45 points. He also had eight rebounds and seven assists. James became the all-time leader in steals in the playoffs. He passed Scottie Pippen, who previously had a record of 395 steals.

Other Cavaliers had solid showings. Tristan Thompson had a double-double with 15 points and ten rebounds. Thompson was inserted into the starting line-up after not playing significant minutes in this series. Kevin Love had 14 points. George Hill and J.R Smith had 11 points each.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will face the Toronto Raptors in the second round. The series starts on Tuesday in Toronto. The Pacers were a challenge, and the Raptors will be more difficult.

The Raptors are fresh off their first round victory against the Washington Wizards. The Raptors are the first seed of the Eastern Conference. They matched up with the eighth seed Wizards. The Raptors won this series 4-2. They wrapped up the series with a 102-92 win on Friday. Toronto's bench gave them a needed boost. The bench scored 34 points and had 28 rebounds as a unit. The Raptors have an impressive bench, and it could work to their benefit in the second round.

In the regular season, the Cavs beat the Raptors two out of three games. Their first meeting was in January. The Raptors beat the Cavs 133-99. This game took place before the Cavaliers shook up their roster at the trade deadline. Players such as Isaiah Thomas, Dwyane Wade, and Derrick Rose were still with the Cavs. The newest additions like George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., and Rodney Hood were still with their respective teams.

The Cavs faced the Raptors again in March. This time, the current Cavs roster was intact. The Cavaliers won 132-129.

The two teams had their last regular season meeting in April. The Cavaliers won this game 112-106. The Raptors beat the Cavs when they were dealing with chemistry issues. However, they did not beat the current Cavs.

The Cavs won this series, but they have to play better if they want to advance. If they get past the Raptors, they will face the winner of the Philadelphia 76ers/Boston Celtics series. The Cavaliers' playoff journey won't be easy. They have obstacles ahead that they must prepare for. But as the playoff slogan says, "Whatever it takes."