Cavs Beat Nets To Advance To Eastern Finals

[Noahmyboy03]

Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- With LeBron James on the bench, Cleveland might have been looking at a Game 7.

Once he returned, the Cavaliers were headed to the Eastern Conference finals.

James, who had a long stint on the bench with foul trouble, scored 23 points, and the Cavaliers advanced to the conference finals for the first time in 15 years by beating the New Jersey Nets 88-72 on Friday night.

Cleveland won the series 4-2 and heads to Detroit on Monday night for its third appearance in a conference finals and the first since 1992. James, who had eight rebounds and eight assists, needed only four years to get the Cavs into the NBA's final four.

"It's a great feeling," James said. "This is one of the best feelings I've ever had as a basketball player."

He got plenty of help in the clincher from reserves Donyell Marshall and Daniel Gibson, and the Cavs needed it because their superstar spent most of the third quarter on the bench in foul trouble while Cleveland managed just eight points. New Jersey cut what had been a 22-point deficit to one, but with James back for the fourth quarter, the Nets never could take the lead.

Game notes
James said before the game that his pregnant girlfriend was fine, two days after she was taken to the hospital during Game 5 in Cleveland. Asked if the couple had a name for the baby, due next month, James said: "She does, but I don't." ... The fewest points in a third quarter is six by Atlanta at Boston on May 6, 1986. ... Cleveland guard Eric Snow needed three stitches for a cut on his left elbow.

[nadeau01_johnson48]

Wooooo Hoooo!!! BRING ON THE PISTONS!!!

To be the best you gotta beat the best...so LETS GO CAVS!!!