CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Cavaliers lived to play another day on Sunday, but a 105-101 Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs took a physical toll on star LeBron James.
Unwilling to sit despite battling leg cramps in the second half, James scored 45 points in the first Game 7 in the history of Quicken Loans Arena.
"I'm burnt right now," James said. "I'm not thinking about Toronto right now until tomorrow. I'm ready to go home. Can we? I'm tired. I want to go home."
James added nine rebounds, seven assists and played over 43 minutes while improving to 13-0 in the first round. It took everything the 33-year-old and the Cavaliers had to hold off the Pacers.
"Amazing," Indiana's Victor Oladipo said of James. "He did what he always does. It's not really shocking. He's the best in the world, and that's what the best does and now I gotta work to get on that level."
James played the first 35 minutes before heading to the locker room with one minute left in the third quarter to be treated for what he said was "a little minor injury." James said he was urged to get IV fluids but turned them down.
The Cavaliers got a huge lift from Tristan Thompson, who played just 24 minutes in the first six games but made a rare start as coach Tyronn Lue used his 34th different starting lineup this season. Thompson had 15 points and 10 rebounds, Kevin Love made four three-pointers, and George Hill returned after missing three games with back spasms to score 11 points in 19 second-half minutes.
By picking off a pass midway through the second quarter, James became the career playoff leader in steals. He entered the game tied with Scottie Pippen (395).
