LeBron!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[S O F I]

Unbelievable.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 31 (AP) -- LeBron James used one of the most spectacular performances in playoff history to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to the verge of their greatest season.

James' career playoff-high 48 points - including 29 of his team's final 30 - carried the Cavaliers to within a win of the first NBA Finals in franchise history with a 109-107 double-overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.

James made a go-ahead layup with 2.2 seconds left and Detroit's Chauncey Billups missed a shot in the lane on the ensuing possession.

It was one of the many driving shots that James made look easy.

"Why should I be surprised? I was making a lot of great moves,'' James said. "They are definitely a great defensive team, but I was determined to attack.''

The Pistons blew a seven-point lead with 3:15 left in regulation and lost the third straight game in the series after winning the first two at home.

Game 6 is Saturday night in Cleveland and if necessary, Game 7 will be Monday night back at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

The San Antonio Spurs, who eliminated Utah on Wednesday, have a week off before hosting Game 1 of The NBA Finals.

Detroit can only hope the series ends like its last postseason matchup with the Cavs.

The Pistons won the first two games of the conference semifinals last year, then lost three straight and needed to win on the road and then at home in Game 7.

James was 18-of-33 from the field, making both of his 3-pointers, and 10-of-14 from the free throw line. He also had nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals in a performance that might end up be a defining game of his career.

"We tried to trap him and get it out of his hands, but he attacked,'' Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "We'll definitely have to do something different next time.''

The 22-year-old star showed he's human, though, airballing a shot just before the shot clock expired with 6.6 seconds left in the first overtime that gave Detroit a chance to force another period.

James put Billups on the line with 3.1 seconds left and he made two free throws to make it 100-all.

The Cavs have prided themselves on not being a one-man show, but James just about did it alone against a team in the conference finals for the fifth straight year.

He simply took over late in regulation and in both overtimes, choosing to attack the basket with driving layups and dunks instead of deferring to teammates.

James scored 32 more points than Cleveland's second-leading scorer, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who fouled out with 16 points. Rookie Daniel Gibson, who also fouled out, was the only other double-digit scorer, with 11.

"Somebody told me that in the locker room that he scored 29 of our last 30 points and I could not believe it,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "Everybody keeps asking for more, and he keeps giving more.

"I feel bad that my words don't do justice what he did.''

The Pistons, meanwhile, seemed to finally put a complete game together and each of their starters scored at least 10.

Richard Hamilton scored 26, Billups had 21 and Chris Webber scored 20. Rasheed Wallace had 17 points and Tayshaun Prince added 10.

It wasn't enough.

He shitted on the city of Detroit for the next ten years. For the next ten years, Detroit is Shit City.

 

[Eric]

He dominated. I just hope that they beat Detroit.

 

[_carmi]

i am now very depressed. i wanted the pistons to make it.

 

[hizzle?]

^^^^ BOOOOU!!!!!! I now hate you!!!

 

[Sebastian]

Great performance.

 

[_carmi]

^^^^ BOOOOU!!!!!! I now hate you!!!

why? i'be always been for the pistons. i dunno its a team i like and supports. i hate people who change of favorite team each year. so i stick with the pistons. they are a good team. the cavs are a good team too. but me wants the pistons to win it. but i'm not sure anymore if they'll make it

 

[S O F I]

Great performance.

TO SAY THE LEAST!!

why? i'be always been for the pistons. i dunno its a team i like and supports. i hate people who change of favorite team each year. so i stick with the pistons. they are a good team. the cavs are a good team too. but me wants the pistons to win it. but i'm not sure anymore if they'll make it

Cavs? A team? A GOOD team?

I say the Cleveland Lebron is a good team. That's about it.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

wow go Cleveland.

 

[ARon]

If this was Kobe he'd be called selfish, haha sorr yhave to throw that in there.

I think Detroit could of pulled that out if it wasn't for Prince turning it over. To me it was more of a loss by Detroit and not a win by Cleveland you know. I still think Detroit will win this and then lose to the Spurs.

 

[The.Menace]

I'm surprised that the Cavs are up, I admit. But hey, James deserves it. Let's see how the Pistons react now, they pretty much had a good chance to win every game and blew it the last 3 times, that's unusal for the pistons.

 

[Devious]

jeez, who does this guy think he is, Michael Jordan?

i'm not a big basketball fan anymore but i gotta give credit where it's due, an amazing MJ-like performance for LeBron, now lets see if he can keep it up.

 

[S O F I]

I'm surprised that the Cavs are up, I admit. But hey, James deserves it. Let's see how the Pistons react now, they pretty much had a good chance to win every game and blew it the last 3 times, that's unusal for the pistons.

Although I definitely agree that Pistons are far from playing the kind of basketball they're able to, I'd say that the Cavs had a pretty good chance to win the first two games, too. The first game was a perfect play but it just didn't go in. In the second, they had about 4 chances to win it and luck didn't swing their way. I still don't see the Pistons losing the series, but the playoffs have had so many unexpected things happen (mavs and heat lose first round) that I don't doubt anything anymore. In the end, it doesn't matter, because the Spurs will murder either team.

 

[The.Menace]

Of course the Cavs had their chances too but in a close game I just saw the Pistons with an advantage cause of experience, MR Big Shot, etc etc - well I was wrong, the Cavs can deal with the pressure, let's just see what happens tonight

 

[ARon]

The one player that will get overlooked in this is Varejo or however you spell it, Cavs would of lost if he didnt tip Chauncey' shot. Eric Snow was doin great on D too.

Detroit tonight though, I'm hopin.