By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Greek Freak finished the game with a playoffs career high of 28 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and one block on the way to a 97-83 win. The hosts scored just 13 points in the last quarter, while the Bucks also got an amazing game by Greg Monroe who came off the bench and had 14 points and 15 rebounds.
DeMar Derozan scored 27 points for Toronto, almost half of them from the free throws line, Spaniard Serge Ibaka was great at the first half and finished the game with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas flirted with the double double (9 p. 9 r.) and Austrian big man Jakob Poeltl added one steal.
However this game was all about the Bucks, who presented themselves more than prepared for this series and got the lead on the road.
In the first game of the playoffs LeBron James scored 32 points and the defending champions, looking to flip the switch after a shaky regular season, began the NBA playoffs by escaping with a 109-108 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.
Indiana could have won it in the final seconds, but C.J. Miles, who Cleveland’s players and coaches call a “Cavs killer,” missed a 14-foot jumper just before the horn. Playing in his 200th playoff game, James added 13 assists and six rebounds while winning his 18th consecutive first-round game.
However, it was anything but easy as the Cavs, who had a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, had to withstand a strong comeback by the Pacers, who had the ball and a chance to win with 20 seconds left. Indiana wanted star Paul George to take the last shot, but Cleveland double-teamed him and he was forced to pass it to Miles, whose shot was on line but short.
“I talked to C.J. about it,” George said. “In situations like that, I gotta get the last shot. I was asking for it. C.J. took it upon himself.” Kyrie Irving added 23 points and Kevin Love had 17 for Cleveland, which has won 12 straight playoff games at home. French big man Kevin Seraphin had 8 points for Indiana.