LeBron James leads Cleveland into playoffs for first time since 2010

Jay Asser 05:44 22/03/2015
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  • Setting the standard: James is averaging 25.9 points per game this season.

    It was only right that LeBron James’ heroics clinched the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first playoff berth since his departure in 2010.

    Despite feeling under the weather with a cold, the four-time MVP stamped Cleveland’s postseason spot with a clutch fourth-quarter performance in the 95-92 win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday.

    James scored 13 of his 29 points in the final period, including 11 straight to put the Cavaliers ahead 93-92 – a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

    The victory assured Cleveland would be playing late into April for the first time since James left as a free agent for Miami in 2010.

    Although the playoffs were expected when James returned to Ohio last summer, and a foregone conclusion with the Cavaliers near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, the first step can now officially be checked off the list.

    “We’re not going to get any roses for it, but it’s a good thing,” Cleveland coach David Blatt said. “That was the first goal when I signed on, before the other guys came.”

    The feeling is nothing new for James, who has reached the postseason the last nine years of his career and has two championships to show for it.

    But the 30-year-old understands it’s a significant first for some of his team-mates, especially young stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, with neither getting a taste of the playoffs in their nine combined seasons prior to this year.

    “It’s a huge accomplishment for our team,” James said. “For me, I don’t look too far into it. But for our team, for the guys that have never been in the postseason, we have a few guys…and I don’t think they should take that for granted and just overlook that.

    “It’s a huge thing for those guys. I’m happy I was able to be a part of their first clinch for the postseason.”

    Irving had the pressure of carrying the Cavaliers’ hopes after James departed for South Beach and suffered through three losing seasons. Now, the 22-year-old will get the opportunity to unleash his dazzling skill-set on the biggest stage.

    “It feels amazing, it’s an exciting moment. It’s been four years,” Irving, the No1 pick in the 2011 draft, said. “Us making the playoffs for the first time is an awesome thing. I can’t wait for them.”

    Love, meanwhile, had a longer wait than his point guard, spending six playoff-devoid seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

    The campaign has been anything but easy for the power forward in his first year in Cleveland, but the burden of never reaching the postseason is finally off his shoulders.

    “It feels good,” Love said. “We still have a lot of work to do.”

    Next on the agenda for the Cavaliers is holding on to the two-seed, which could result in a first round match-up against Miami.

    With Chicago, Toronto and Washington not far behind in the standings, finishing the regular season strong could be the difference in home court advantage down the line. Cleveland return to action against Milwaukee tonight (tip-off: 23:00).

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