Written by Dave McMenamin at ESPN.com
Never mind that the Cleveland Cavaliers nearly blew another late double-digit lead in their 117-111 Game 2 victory over the Indiana Pacers to go up 2-0 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
LeBron James says the defending-champion Cavs are on the brink of putting it all together.
“We’re right there,” James said after putting up 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists on Monday. “We’re right there of what we know we can become, and we’ll figure it out. So, like I told you, I’d much rather have an 18-point lead than not have a lead at all. And we make plays down the stretch to win a ball game in the postseason, and that’s all you can ask for. But we’re right there on turning the switch on what we really can become.”
Cleveland came into the fourth quarter with an 18-point lead, which the Pacers cut to four with 19.5 seconds remaining, reminiscent of the way Indiana was able to turn a 12-point deficit late in the third quarter in Game 1 into a two-point lead with 3:31 remaining in the fourth Saturday.
James affirmed he’s playing with elevated confidence even the No. 7 seed Pacers have kept the games close with the No. 2 seed: Cleveland has won by a total of seven points on its home court through the first two games.
“Cause we’re playing some really, really good basketball,” James said. “Even in, you know, the first two quarters, we build a lead, we didn’t close out the second quarter as well as we would like to and, but, we have a chance. We have a chance to do something we all have been wanting to do all season, and that’s to put together a four-quarter game. And I think we’re right there on the cusp of doing that.”
At the very least, James had ample reason to feel good about the Cavs on the offensive end. James, Kyrie Irving (37 points) and Kevin Love (27 points), combined for the most points they’ve ever had in a postseason game together (89 points). It was also the first time three Cleveland teammates all scored 25 or more in a playoff game.
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