James Lifts Cavs Over Pacers Into Series Lead

Los Angeles, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :LeBron James drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 98-95 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday and within one game of advancing in the NBA playoffs.

James scored 44 points to lead the Cavs, who took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven first-round series and will try to close out the Pacers on Friday in Indianapolis. Seconds before his game-winner, James blocked a driving Victor Oladipo's shot at the rim to keep the score knotted at 95-95.

Cleveland then got the ball to their superstar, who pulled up at the top of the arc and unleashed his shot over Thaddeus Young, his only three-pointer of the game. James beat his chest in triumph, jumping on the scorers' table to acknowledge the rapturous crowd.

"As a kid, you always have those 3-2-1 moments," James said. "That's what it kind of felt like. It felt like I was a kid all over again, just playing basketball at my house. With makeshift hoops and my socks as a basketball and making the noise.

So, that's what it felt like." The Cavaliers, trying to return to the NBA Finals for a fourth straight season and add to the title they won in 2016, took their first lead of the series. But James said they have plenty of work remaining against the Pacers. "That team never stops and it's going to be even tougher on Friday," he said. "We've got to be mentally strong, like we did tonight."