The Miami Heat extended their season on Thursday night by simply blowing the Boston Celtics off the floor, 98-79. The Heat led by double digits for nearly the entire second half, riding the back of MVP LeBron James who put on one of, if not the best playoff performance of his career. It was on par with his 48-point performance in 2007 when he single-handedly beat the Detroit Pistons. It was never close, and the TD Garden crowd headed for the exits with almost half of the fourth quarter remaining.
When it was all said and done, James went for 45 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists. He did it all, hitting every kind of shot from every spot of the floor. He hit fadeaway jumpers, he hit turnaround shots with his back to the basket, he drilled three-pointers. He attacked the rim in transition for some emphatic dunks, and he got to the free-throw line to exorcise the demons at the TD Garden. He finished 19 of 26 from the floor. It was a performance that will go down in NBA history. Highlights of his 45-point performance:
It's now a one-game series, and the decisive Game 7 will be Saturday night in Miami.
Stick with this StoryStream for news and updates throughout the Eastern Conference Finals. For more analysis and discussion on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. Visit CelticsBlog and SB Nation Boston for the opponent's perspective during the series. For all your Conference Finals analysis, visit SB Nation's NBA hub.