Clippers Take 3-2 Lead Over Bulls, Rockets Win

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Published on May 13 2015 6:27 am
Last Updated on May 13 2015 6:27 am

With the big three reduced to the "Banged-Up 2," LeBron James again showed why he's Cleveland's one and only. James scored 38 points, Kyrie Irving added 25 and the Cavaliers held off Chicago's charge in the fourth quarter for a 106-101 victory over the Bulls on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their testy Eastern Conference semifinal.

Showing no ill effects from a sprained left ankle, James added 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks and didn't have a turnover in 41 minutes to ensure the Cavs will again play at home this season. The four-time league MVP was locked in from the start, imposing his will on a game the Cavaliers had to have.

Cleveland can wrap up the best-of-seven series and advance to the conference finals for the first time since 2009 with a win in Game 6 Thursday night back at United Center in Chicago, where the teams exchanged buzzer-beating victories last weekend.

The drama wasn't quite as high in Game 5, but it was close, and it was intense. Fueled by an altercation that led to the ejection of Chicago's Taj Gibson, the Cavs led 90-73 with 6:09 left and then had to hold off a furious comeback by the Bulls, who got within 101-99 on Butler's 3-pointer with 1:18 left.

Cleveland, though, got a huge offensive rebound by Iman Shumpert before Irving, playing with surprising speed and agility on a sprained right foot and sore left knee, made four free throws in the final 17 seconds.Jimmy Butler scored 29 and Mike Dunleavy 19 for Chicago. Derrick Rose scored 16, 12 in the first quarter, but the star guard shot just 2-of-15 in the final three quarters and aggravated a shoulder "stinger" he sustained in Game 1.


Rockets 124, Clippers 103

The Rockets hadn't lost three straight all season. And faced with elimination Tuesday night by the Clippers in the Western Conference semifinals, they maintained that distinction with a 124-103 victory to send the series back to Los Angeles for a Game 6.

An ill James Harden had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, Dwight Howard added 20 points and 15 rebounds and Houston bounced back from two lopsided losses. Houston used a 36-point second quarter to take a commanding lead and withstood a third-quarter surge by Los Angeles to lead by 14 entering the fourth.

Blake Griffin had 30 points and 16 rebounds, and Chris Paul added 22 points and 10 assists for the Clippers.


Tuesday, May 12 Scoreboard

Cleveland 106, Chicago 101
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 5

Houston 124, Los Angeles 103
WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 5


Wednesday, May 13 Schedule (All Times Central)

Washington at Atlanta, 7 p.m.
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 5

Memphis at Golden State, 9:30 p.m.
WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 5