Jimmy Butler is undeniably the protagonist of the 2023 NBA Playoffs and the Miami Heat continue to benefit from its star’s heroics. The forward’s 35-point night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals made the difference as Miami put away the heavily favored Boston Celtics 123-116 on the road to begin the series.

As the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference that had to earn its spot through the play-in tournament, the Heat was on very few people’s radars when the postseason began. The team has been seemingly unstoppable despite low expectations, however, defeating the first-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and fourth-seeded New York Knicks in six games each.

Though Butler didn’t play quite as well against New York as he did against Milwaukee, against which he scored a practically inhuman 37.6 points per game, he still led the charge on the floor through all four of Miami’s wins. Around him, his teammates have been shooting extremely well and continued to do so in Game 1 against Boston.

With Butler returning to his Milwaukee-series form with 35 points against the Celtics, five of his teammates also managed to score at least 15 points each. It’s not a one-man show, but it’s also very difficult to imagine Miami getting this far without Butler’s immaculate performances.

“Damn right, I did,” Butler said when asked if he thought his team was capable of a run before the playoffs. “Damn right, we did. And the best part about it is we still don’t care what none of y’all think … We don’t care if you pick us to win.”

With one victory over the Celtics, who were competing well before caving in the third quarter, the question again becomes whether Miami’s star can propel them past another favored opponent. Boston has struggled in two straight series, going to six and seven games against both the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers, respectively. That being said, the team entered the playoffs as a legitimate title contender led by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Malcolm Brogdon.

In the face of another multifaceted Eastern Conference favorite, Butler and the Heat have once again gotten the jump in a series many believed they could not win. The road ahead is long but the team has not yet struggled to put teams away in crunch time.

With their Game 3 double–overtime victory still fresh in their minds, the Toronto Raptors sought out to recapture that gratifying feeling all basketball players experience after the buzzer sounds, stamping another hard–fought victory into the books. Thanks to Kyle Lowry’s 25–point performance alongside Kawhi Leonard’s 19–point and 7–rebound contribution, the Raptors walked away victorious for the second time in a row, tying up the Eastern Conference Finals at 2–2 on Tuesday night.

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Toronto’s bench proved vital to the victory as well, as Serge Ibaka, Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell combined for 48–points. Although Kris Middleton poured in 30–points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo supplied 25–points with 10–rebounds, Milwaukee now leaves Toronto (“the six”) without their series lead.

Tonight back in the Fiserv Forum, both teams will attempt to capture a pivotal series lead. Coming off a bounce–back game, look for Antetokounmpo to remind us why his name remains in the MVP discussion and to defend home court. After falling victim to a crowd–igniting slam dunk dealt out from Leonard, the “Greek Freak” most likely will attempt to return the favor tonight with his high–flying vertical and athletic skill set. Equipped with a normally effective bench, which has recently shown struggles when facing Toronto’s stellar defense, the Bucks will need to lean on its other impact players such as Brook Lopez, Middleton, and Nikola Mirotic. Matching up against this squad, Toronto aims to steal the series’ first road game, continuing to ride Lowry and Leonard’s excellence. Alongside this lethal Toronto duo stands Pascal Siakam, averaging 24.3–points per game and shooting 43.8% from beyond the arc. Siakam plans add another chapter to his Most Improved Player of the Year campaign during tonight’s contest.

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With tipoff scheduled for 8:30 p.m. EST in Milwaukee, each ball club — as well as fans — knows Game Five’s importance, as Game 5 winners move on to win their series 78% of the time. The game will be available on TNT, with the Bucks favorited at -7.

The Milwaukee Bucks and the Toronto Raptors took much different paths to get to the Eastern Conference Finals this year.

The Bucks are reliant on their homegrown star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and swept the Detroit Pistons before making quick work of the Boston Celtics, needing only five games to advance. The Raptors, on the other hand, were led by a freshly acquired perennial All-Star in Kawhi Leonard. They also made sure to add firepower this season, whether it be through late-season pickups like Marc Gasol or developing Serge Ibaka or Pascal Siakam into players of a new mold. Unlike Milwaukee, the Raptors were taken deep into a series by their Eastern Conference Semifinals opponents, the Philadelphia Sixers.

Fans of basketball are going to be entertained by this series. Both teams deserve to have their seeds and both of them are serious championship contenders. Despite having first-year coaches in Mike Budenholzer and Nick Nurse, each team has taken its play to a new level. Wednesday’s Game 1 in Milwaukee will air at 8:30 p.m. EST on TNT.

Expect to see a battle between Leonard and “the Greek Freak” for the series. They’re two MVP-level players that don’t slack off on either end of the court. While Giannis typically shows a lot more emotion than Leonard, Leonard has reason to be calmer in the playoffs after having already won an NBA Finals MVP. Kawhi’s 31.8 points per game, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists averaged over 12 games have carried Toronto. It’ll be interesting to see how they do with a team that’s almost perfectly designed to shut him down.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

Sidekicks Khris Middleton and Siakam, who could carry their own teams if given the chance, will face off against each other and sometimes switch onto Leonard and Antetokounmpo if need be.

This series could also come down to the third in command. Eric Bledsoe has blossomed into a winning player since being traded from the Phoenix Suns and Kyle Lowry, though not performing at the level at which he once did, can still have a valuable impact on the court. Regardless of who has to carry the team, expect this series to be a long one.

The NBA Eastern Conference Finals returns to Cleveland as the Celtics take on the Cavaliers at home for Game 6 on Friday, and here’s everything we have to look forward to.

cavaliers vs celtics game 6 preview

The Eastern Conference Finals enters its sixth game with the Celtics up 3-2 and the Cavaliers just one loss away from the NBA Finals. The young Celtics squad minus Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward continue to impress all of us, showing off a fantastic amount of poise despite the fact that a majority of their starters have very limited NBA experience. Rookie Jayson Tatum, second-year man Jaylen Brown, and former backup point guard Terry Rozier have all been effective in this series, with Tatum leading the way in Game 4 with 24 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals, proving himself worthy of his spot on the NBA’s All-Rookie team. And don’t discount the value that veteran big man Al Horford brings to the table, as he has solidified Boston’s front court on both the offensive and defensive ends, finishing Game 4 with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

On the Cavs’ side of the ball, LeBron James has been doing what he does best: taking control of games and showing us why he should still be regarded as the NBA’s best player at 33-years-old. Over the course of this series, LeBron has average 30.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game, and has looked practically unstoppable in each matchup aside from a poor shooting performance in Game 1. While he’s been fantastic to watch, even The King can’t do it alone, and the rest of the Cavaliers are going to seriously need to step up their game if they’re going to force a Game 7. LeBron has been to seven straight NBA Finals series, and the Celtics are on the cusp of preventing him from getting to an eighth. We’re sure to see him give everything he’s got in order to get back to the Finals, he just has to hope everyone else around him does the same.

Game 6 will start at 8:30 pm EST, and you can check it out on ESPN.

The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Washington Capitals for a decisive Game 7 on Wednesday, and here is what you need to know.

Lightning vs. Capitals Game 7 Preview

This is the fourth consecutive year that the Eastern Conference Final series has been decided in seven games. The winner will take on the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has been excellent this series: the 23-year-old Russian has allowed just nine goals in the last four games. Tampa Bay bounced back after losing the first two games of the Conference Finals. Braden Holtby made 24 saves for the Capitals in Game 6.

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According to Sports Illustrated, the Lightning finished first in the NHL in scoring this past regular season, and the Capitals were also in the top 10.  The magazine also states that Tampa Bay is 5-7 in Game 7s in their franchise’s history, which is the greatest record for any team that has played in five or more winner-takes-all games.

Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov boasts a series-high nine points, and also set a franchise record with a postseason-high 23.

Wednesday’s game will begin at 8pm EST and will air on NBC Sports Network.

The Boston Celtics will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and here is what you need to know.

Cavaliers vs. Celtics Conference Finals Game 2 Preview

Boston leads the series 1-0 after winning 108-83 in Game 1 on Sunday. The Celtics have the edge for Game 2, as they are 8-0 at home in the 2018 playoffs. Boston forced LeBron James into seven turnovers on Sunday.

However, the Cavs have also been performing well and setting records during this postseason. James is set to become the first player in NBA history to score 1,000 points in the playoffs against one team over the duration of his 14-year career.

Tuesday’s game will begin at 8:30pm EST and will air on ESPN.

On Monday night, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets 119-106 in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Kevin Durant led the defending NBA champions with 37 points.

Here is the full series schedule for the Cavs and Celtics:

Game 3 in Cleveland: Saturday, May 19, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 4 in Cleveland: Monday, May 21, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 5 (if necessary) in Boston: Wednesday, May 23, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 6 (if necessary) in Cleveland: Friday, May 25, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Game 7 (if necessary) in Boston: Sunday, May 27, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Washington Capitals for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night, and here is what you need to know.

Lightning Vs. Capitals Conference Finals Game 1 Preview

The Capitals advanced by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games (4-2), while the Lightning eliminated the Boston Bruins in five games. Washington’s victory marked the first time they knocked out the Pens in the Sidney Crosby era.

The 2018 Eastern Conference Final series is also the first time Alex Ovechkin is playing in the final round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in his career. Tom Wilson — who was banned three games for viciously checking Pittsburgh’s Zach Aston-Reese in the head and breaking his jaw — returned for Game 7 against the Penguins and will also play in Game 1 on Friday.

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Wilson and 25-year-old Russian center Evgeny Kuznetsov will likely prove to be great assets on one of Washington’s lines. Meanwhile, the Lightning boast Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and J.T. Miller as powerhouses.

Nicklas Backstrom remains questionable to play for the Capitals in Game 1 after he suffered a hand injury before Game 6 of the series against Pittsburgh.  Andre Burakovsky, a 23-year-old Austrian winger who has not played since before the first-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets, could return to Washington’s for Game 1 vs. Tampa Bay.

The Lightning only currently have one injured player reported: forward Adam Erne.

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Friday’s game in Tampa Bay will begin at 8pm EST and will air on NBC Sports.

On Saturday night, the Vegas Golden Knights will visit the Winnipeg Jets for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

Here is the full series schedule for Washington and Tampa Bay:

Game 2: Capitals at Lightning
Date: Sunday, May 13

Game 3: Lightning at Capitals
Date: Tuesday, May 15

Game 4: Lightning at Capitals
Date: Thursday, May 17

Game 5 (If necessary): Capitals at Lightning
Date: Saturday, May 19

Game 6 (If necessary): Lightning at Capitals
Date: Monday, May 21

Game 7 (If necessary): Capitals at Lightning
Date: Wednesday, May 23

LeBron James now leads the NBA’s all-time postseason scoring list.

LeBron James tops All-Time Playoff Scoring List

The King finished with 35 points in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 135-102 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday night at TD Garden.

James, 32, passed Michael Jordan in postseason scoring when he sank a 3 with around 2:10 left in the third quarter to put the Cavs up 103-71. The 2003 No. 1 overall pick had 5,989 career playoff points (Jordan finished his career with 5,987 playoff points) at that moment in the game, but ended the night with 5,995 points.

James celebrated his record break by lifting his right index finger to indicate No. 1.

The Cavs forward and four-time MVP said after the game that it was an honor to pass Jordan, his childhood hero, although he never expected to pass the legendary former Chicago Bulls star in postseason scoring.

“I wear the number because of Mike,” James said of the No. 23 on his uniform. “I think I fell in love with the game because of Mike, just because of what he was able to accomplish. When you’re watching Michael Jordan it’s almost like a god. So I didn’t think I could be Mike.”

James received several congratulations for breaking the record from notable figures around the NBA, including Magic Johnson. 

Jordan, 54, had held the record for playoff points for 20 years. He scored his last postseason points at the age of 35 and after 179 games in the Bulls’ Game 6 victory over the Utah Jazz in the 1998 Finals. Jordan played in the NBA from 1984-2003.

“I wanted to be Mike, so for my name to come up in any discussion with Michael Jordan or Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] or all these guys that’s paved the ways for Tristan [Thompson] and Kevin [Love], myself and Swish [JR Smith], it’s a wow factor. I don’t really have anything to say.”

Here are more highlights of James’ scoring in Thursday’s Game 5:

James has scored 30 points or more in 11 of Cleveland’s 13 games this postseason.

The defending NBA champion Cavaliers beat the Celtics 4-1 in the best-of-seven playoffs series to set up their third straight final-round matchup with the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors, who swept the San Antonio Spurs in four games.

Avery Bradley led the Celtics with 23 points on Thursday.

Cleveland, which won its first-ever NBA title in 2016, also set a league record by winning its 13th straight series closeout opportunity, which includes a 12-1 record this postseason.

The Warriors will host the Cavs for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday at 9 pm EST. The game will air on ABC.

OSTON, MA – MAY 25: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates his dunk in the third quarter as Jae Crowder #99 of the Boston Celtics looks on during Game Five of the 2017 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 25, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts.

LeBron James delivered a terrible showing in the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ 111-108 home loss to the Boston Celtics in Sunday’s Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and a reporter gave the King an additional reason to feel upset following the game.

LeBron James Calls Out Reporter After Cavs’ Game 3 Loss to Celtics

The 32-year-old Cavs forward managed only 11 points, went 0-for-4 on 3-pointers and committed six turnovers to record one of the worst games of his playoff career. The finish marked James’ worst postseason point total since a seven-point outing in Game 5 of the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers.

During Sunday’s post-game press conference in Cleveland, local radio host Kenny Roda made the King extra angry by asking him if his poor performance was due to him being unable to beat the Celtics’s defense — which was particularly strong in Game 3 — or whether he simply wasn’t feeling his shot.

James didn’t scream at Roda, but it was clear the question rubbed him the wrong way, so he took the opportunity to express his discontent with the radio host only making pressing inquiries whenever the Cavaliers lose.

“I was just pretty poor,” James said. “What do you want me to say? It seems like you only ask questions when we lose. It’s a weird thing with you, Kenny, you always come around when we lose, I swear.”

Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated shared the exchange on Twitter:

Sports Illustrated’s Kenny Ducey also tweeted a brief clip of the end of the news conference, when James — who did not score in the final 16:31 of Sunday’s game — gave Roda a snarky glance and walked away:

Early Monday, Roda responded to James’ complaint in a pair of tweets in which he noted that he has also asked the Cavaliers questions when they win. The radio host also reminded the world that he stated on his radio his belief that James deserved this year’s MVP award:

Roda wasn’t the only person the All-Star became frustrated with because he was called out for his subpar performance, however.

One Cavs fan also jeered at James as he headed back to the locker room. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst described the incident, and suggested the fan was likely intoxicated: “LeBron got peeved at heckling fan after game. LeBron asked what fan had done. (‘What did you do?’) Dude replied: ‘I played at Hiram College.’ Emotions were raw in the moment but the guy’s liquid courage was pretty hilarious. He was removed from arena shouting his college stats.”

According to Daryl Ruiter of CBS Sports Radio’s “92.3 The Fan,” security even got involved:

“I had a tough game, period — not just in the second half,” James said after the fourth-lowest-scoring playoff game of his career, which has spanned 210 postseason games. “Me personally, I didn’t have it. My teammates did a great job of keeping us in the game, building that lead. But me personally, I didn’t have it. That’s all I’ve got to say about my performance.”

Tristan Thompson cited the Cavs’ defensive breakdown, and not James’ lackluster showing, as the reason for his team’s loss. Clevleand’s defense allowed 61 points in the second half after leading 66-50 at the break.

“It doesn’t matter what Bron’s numbers were tonight,” Thompson said. “Defensively, we’ve got to be better. It starts with multiple efforts, taking the challenge one-on-one and making those adjustments and just playing harder.”

The loss marked the end of the Cavaliers’ 13-game playoff winning streak, which includes a 10-0 run in this year’s postseason. Cleveland leads the best-of-seven series 2-1, and will host the Celtics for Game 4 on Tuesday night.

“I feel like you have to have some type of adversity in order to be successful,” James said. “If it was going to happen, let it happen now. Let us regroup. Let us regroup, and all the narrative and everything that was going on, let’s regroup, and let’s get back to playing desperate basketball, which they did tonight. So we’ve got to be a lot better, for sure.”

Before Sunday, James had scored at least 30 points in eight consecutive playoff games.

The defending NBA champion Cavs’ last playoff loss was Game 4 of the 2016 Finals.

Kyrie Irving contributed 29 points, and Kevin Love added 28 for the Cavs. Love scored 22 of his points in the first half.

Marcus Smart started in place of Isaiah Thomas — who is out for the rest of the playoffs with a hip injury — and scored 27 points, including seven 3-pointers, for the Celtics. Avery Bradley added 20 points for Boston, including the game-winning 3 with 0.1 seconds remaining.

In other NBA news, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich announced Sunday that Kawhi Leonard will likely miss the Spurs’ Game 4 at home against the Golden State Warriors on Monday night. Leonard continues to suffer from multiple ankle injuries, one of which came courtesy of a closeout by Zaza Pachulia in Game 1 that resulted in a Spurs fan suing Pachulia and Golden State. The Spurs trail the Western Conference Finals 3-0 after losing to the Warriors 120-108 on Saturday.

CLEVELAND, OH – MAY 21: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts in the second quarter against the Boston Celtics during Game Three of the 2017 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on May 21, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Phil Kessel scored on his lone shot on goal with 6:55 remaining in the third period to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 1-0 Game 2 home victory over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night.

Phil Kessel Scores Game-Winner, Penguins tie series Vs Senators 1-1

The right winger took a pass from Evgeni Malkin and netted a shot after Jean-Gabriel Pageau stopped the first try. Kessel re-fired his own rebounded past Craig Anderson’s left pad to snap his three-game scoring drought and tie the Eastern Conference Final series 1-1.

“Lucky bounce,” Kessel said. “It got blocked. I got it off quick. It went in.”

Kessel’s game-winner was the latest he had ever scored in 60 career NHL Playoff games.

Marc-Andre Fleury recorded 23 saves for his second shutout in his last three starts. He has allowed two goals during that stretch. Anderson stopped 28 shots for Ottawa.

The Penguins were missing three regulars on Monday: forward Patric Hornqvist, right wing Bryan Rust and defenseman Justin Schultz. The latter two left in the first half of the first period. 

Rust exited after taking a hit from Dion Phaneuf in the middle of the offensive zone 4:58 into the game. Then, Schulz crashed into the end boards at 9:30 of the first after attempting to fight Mike Hoffman for a puck behind Pittsburgh’s net. Schultz headed straight to the locker room. The defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins played the remainder of the game with 11 forwards and five defenseman.

Hornqvist did not play due to an undisclosed injury after participating in line rushes during warmups. He skipped practice Sunday and the Penguins’ optional morning skate Monday before being marked as a game-time decision.

Coach Mike Sullivan did not reveal any updates on Rust, Schultz or Hornqvist after the game. Forward Conor Sheary replaced Hornqvist on the third line and was also moved to the first line after Rust left in the opening period.

Carl Hagelin, meanwhile, returned for Pittsburgh. The forward, who had also been labeled a game-time decision, sat out the previous two games with a lower-body injury.

Jake Guentzel missed a great scoring opportunity for the Penguins in the second period. Crosby won a face-off and immediately fed his teammate, who raced toward the net. Guentzel went on a breakaway and, all alone in front, fired a shot over Ottawa’s goal and into the netting with 7:58 left in the second.

Ottawa’s first shot of the third period came on a backhand from forward Zack Smith with 4:54 remaining. The Senators’ previous shot came with 3:47 left in the second period.

The Senators were shut out for the first time since a 3-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 24 (a 36-game stretch). Ottawa forward Viktor Stahlberg missed his second straight game due to an undisclosed injury.

Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals is Wednesday at 8pm EST in Ottawa.

PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 15: Phil Kessel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins shoots the puck against the Ottawa Senators during the third period in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on May 15, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Penguins secured their place in the Stanley Cup Final with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday night thanks to two goals from Bryan Rust. 

Bryan Rust Leads Penguins To 2-1 Victory Over Lightning In Game 7 To Reach Stanley Cup Final

“The third period was electric. It was the loudest I’ve heard a building in all my years in this league,” said Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan of the crowd of 18,600 at the Penguins’ Consol Energy Center.

The Penguins will next begin their best-of-seven championship series on Monday when they host the San Jose Sharks, who defeated the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals Wednesday.

Pittsburgh is back in the Stanley Cup final for the fifth time overall, and the Sharks are in it for the first time in franchise history.

“It is going to be fast hockey,” said Penguins forward Sidney Crosby of the upcoming final round.

The Penguins will be playing in their first final in seven years. They won three of the first four they played in.

“We are having a lot of fun. One more to go,” Rust said. Rust, 24, has now scored five playoff goals, the most by a Penguins rookie in 46 years.

Rookie goalie Matt Murray made 16 saves on 17 shots for the Penguins, who came back from a 3-2 series deficit. Murray is now 11-4 in the postseason after beginning the playoffs as the team’s backup goaltender. The 22-year-old made a big stop when he stuck his right pad out with 7:14 left in the game when Brian Boyle had a step on defenseman Kris Letang just moments after Tampa Bay killed off a Penguins power play.

After a scoreless first period with few shots and scoring opportunities, Rust beat Tampa Bay’s Russian goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy after being left alone in the Lightning zone at 1:55 of the second.

Lightning forward Jonathan Drouin tied it at 9:36 of the second to earn his fifth goal of the playoffs. However, Rust answered just 30 seconds later.

Lightning centerman Steven Stamkos played for the first time since March 31 due to a blood clot discovered in his collarbone that required surgery on April 4.

Even after the morning skate, Stamkos and Tampa Bay Coach Jon Cooper said there had been no change in the Canadian captain’s status. But when the pre-game warm-ups began, Stamkos, 26, joined his teammates.

“First couple shifts, once you get those under your belt, it comes back,” Stamkos said regarding his return. “When you don’t play for that period of time and you come back for a Game 7, it’s not easy. But it felt like the legs were good.”

Tampa Bay was also missing Vezina Trophy finalist goaltender Ben Bishop, who has been out with an undisclosed injury since the first period of Game one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Byb_aNlMe8g

PHOTO: PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 26: Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning tends goal against Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Consol Energy Center on May 26, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Matt Kincaid/Getty Images)

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors 116-78 at home in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday to gain a 3-2 series lead.

Cavaliers Beat Raptors 116-78 In Game 5, Take Series Lead

Kevin Love made his first six shots and led the Cavaliers with 25 points (in 24 minutes), 19 of which came in the first half. LeBron James scored 23 points, eight assists, six rebounds, two steals, and Kyrie Irving also added 23 points, as well as three steals.

“(Kevin’s) confidence never wavered,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said of Love. “He knew exactly what he had to do. We talked about it. I just want Kevin to continue to be aggressive. I don’t care about missed shots. Take your shots when you have them, be aggressive and that’s what he did.”

The Cavs sank shot after shot from the very beginning at Quicken Loans Arena, going on a 27-6 run in the first half, making 12-of-13 shots, and gaining a 31-point lead going into halftime.

By late in the third quarter, James, Love and Irving had outscored the Raptors 68-57, and they combined to score 71 of Cleveland’s first 95 points.

“We want to come out with the mindset and the understanding of how important this game is to both teams and have a sense of urgency from the beginning,” James said after Cleveland’s morning shoot-around. James also made 10-of-17 shots on Wednesday and is shooting 63.2% and averaging 24.6 points in the series.

The Cavaliers’ 65-34 halftime lead was the largest margin in NBA conference finals history, as well as the worst loss in Raptors playoff history.

“The force that they play with here is different. We didn’t’ meet it,” Toronto head coach Dwane Casey said. “They took us out of everything we wanted to do – physically pushed us around.”

Asked what he would bring to the game, James said, “Just a sense of calmness. That’s all. Just a very calm moment for myself, personally. I relish this opportunity to be a part of the postseason once again, to be 2-2 on my home floor, so, a sense of calmness. I think they’ll follow that.”

In the end, Cleveland shot 57.1 percent from the field and 47.6 percent on three-pointers.

Toronto shot 39.1% from the field and 17.6% on three-pointers, and after scoring a combined 67 points in Game 4, guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan struggled. DeRozan was just 2-of-8 and Lowry 5-of-12, including 1-of-4 on threes. The pair combined for just 27 points this time around.

The Cavs continually attacked the two Toronto guards off screens, usually trapping them into turning the ball over or move away from the basket, and it worked: Cleveland forced 11 turnovers in the first half alone.

Game 6 is set for Friday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yktORdW0-zo

CLEVELAND, OH – MAY 25: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball in the second half against DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Toronto Raptors in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena on May 25, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 in Game 6 at Amalie Arena on Tuesday night to extend the Eastern Conference Final series, which his now tied 3-3.

Penguins Beat Lightning 5-2 To Tie Series, Force Game 7

Game 7 will take place at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh on Thursday. The winner will advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray, 22, made 28 saves, 17 of them in the third period. Murray returned to the net after starter Marc-Andre Fleury played in Game 5, which the Penguins lost 4-3 in overtime on Sunday.

“He doesn’t get rattled,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said of Murray. “If he lets a goal in, he just continues to compete. … Usually it takes years to acquire that, and to have it at such a young age is impressive. That’s always impressed us about him. Certainly it’s impressed me since I’ve got to know him and watch him as a goaltender but also as a person.”

The youngster was pulled from a 4-3, Game 4 loss after allowing four goals in two periods.

“It’s not my job to worry about [coach’s] decision,” Murray said. “It’s my job to be ready if my name is called, and if my name is called, to go out and play my heart out and compete.”

Phil Kessel gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead with 1:14 left in the first period with a power-play goal. The Penguins gained a two-man advantage after Victor Hedman joined Anton Stralman in the penalty box on a delay of game. Kessel deflected a pass from Sidney Crosby into the net to earn his ninth goal of the postseason.

Jonathan Drouin scored for the Lightning just 5:12 into the game, but the Penguins challenged the play and the goal was overturned after the officials ruled that Drouin entered the zone offside.

The Penguins then gained a 2-0 lead 7:40 into the second period thanks to Kris Letang. After a screen from Patric Hornqvist, Letang fired a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy high on the stick side to earn his second goal of the playoffs.

Crosby netted his third game-winning goal of the series on Tuesday. With 26 seconds remaining in the second period, he skated around Stralman and fired a wrist shot through Vasilevskiy’s five-hole to push the score to 3-0.

“As soon as I turned with the puck, I could tell they were probably in the middle of coming up the gap,” said Crosby, who has six goals this postseason. “So I just tried to get some speed off that turnover there that [Hornqvist created], and had a lane and just tried to hit it. That’s a great play by him; if he doesn’t backcheck, it’s probably a nothing play and they’re going back the other way.”

Brian Boyle scored both goals for the Lightning, who lost their third straight Game 6 in a series.

Boyle’s first goal came unassisted at 5:30 of the third period when his centering pass to Braydon Coburn was tipped by Kessel and flew past Murray to make it 3-1. Boyle then took a pass from Slater Koekkoek and fired a wrist shot from the left circle with 7:17 left in the game to make it 3-2. The shot beat Murray in the top left corner.

Bryan Rust and Nick Bonino scored the final two goals for the Penguins. Rust netted a breakaway goal with 2:08 remaining, while Bonino scored an empty-netter with 54 seconds left to seal the victory.

Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh played a Game 7 at Consol Energy Center in the 2011 Eastern Conference First Round. The Lightning won 1-0 on a goal by Sean Bergenheim. The Penguins are 2-7 in Game 7s at home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLGS3Bo2mO8

TAMPA, FL – MAY 24: Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a goal on Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 24, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

The NBA fined Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey $25,000 on Sunday for “public criticism of officiating” one day after his comments regarding the calls and non-calls during the Raptors’ 99-84 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday.

Raptors Coach Dwane Casey Fined $25,000 For Criticizing Referees

Casey, 59, invoked the officiating several times in his post-game news conference, even when the question didn’t concern the officiating.

“How you can miss fouls like that and calls like that? I can’t see it,” Casey said. “I’ve been in this league a long time, in college basketball a long time, but again, there’s got to be consistency. The same foul on one end has got to be the same foul on the other.”

He also said, “We shot zero free throws in the fourth quarter. Zero.”

Casey also noted that the Raptors have been called for 73 fouls so far this series, while the Cavaliers have been called for 46. Cleveland has also outshot Toronto, 86-51, at the foul line. Toronto’s coach also complained about the officiating after DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry did not attempt a free throw in Game 1.

League officials had a discussion with Casey on Sunday and announced the fine later that same day.

“It’s over with,” Casey said before the fine. “I said what I had to say last night. I’m not trying to send a message. It was a comment about the game last night, and it’s over with.”

Cavaliers guard Dahntay Jones also received punishment in the form of a suspension. Jones was suspended Game 4 for his low blow on Bismack Biyombo. The series is now tied 2-2 following the 105-99 Game 4 win on Monday night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy0LEW2xlbI

PHOTO: CLEVELAND, OH – MAY 17: Dwane Casey of the Toronto Raptors looks on in the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game one of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena on May 17, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Trevor Daley will miss the remainder of the NHL playoffs after suffering a broken left ankle, coach Mike Sullivan announced.

Penguins Lose Defenseman Trevor Daley

Daley, 32, sustained the injury in the second period of the Penguins’ 4-3 loss in Game 4 at Tampa Bay on Friday when he slammed into the wall after competing for a puck against Lightning forward Ryan Callahan. Daley’s left leg appeared to twist, and he fell to the ice. He was on crutches and had a wrap on his foot when he left Amalie Arena.

“He’s an important player on our team. So when we lose him for the rest of this game, he’s a hard guy to replace,” Sullivan said Friday. “He plays a lot of minutes. He plays in key situations. So when you lose him halfway through the game like we did and you get down to five [defensemen], it’s hard enough going down to five, but when you lose someone like Trevor that plays important minutes for us, it just makes it that much tougher.”

Pittsburgh acquired Dailey in a December trade with the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman Rob Scuderi. Daley had one goal and five assists during the postseason and ranked second on the team in average ice time in the playoffs behind Penguins defenseman Kris Letang. Daley’s six postseason points trail only Letang among Pittsburgh defensemen.

The Penguins also reshuffled their defense and veteran goalie Marc-Andre Fleury started Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday, which the Lightning won 4-3 in overtime. Tampa Bay now leads the series 3-2.

Fleury, 31, hasn’t started a game since he suffered a concussion on March 31. He played the third period of Game 4 on Friday, making seven saves. Fleury replaced rookie goaltender Matt Murray after the youngster allowed four goals in the first two periods of the loss, which ended up tying the series for the Lightning.

“Lots of things went into the decision,” Sullivan sated regarding Fleury’s start, via USA Today.

Fleury posted a 2.29 GAA and .921 save percentage during the regular season. He has a postseason career record of 53-44 along with a 2.64 goals-against average. He has eight career shutouts in the playoffs.

Twenty-one-year-old Murray, meanwhile, has logged a .923 save percentage in the postseason, and has a 9-4 record and a 2.33 GAA in 13 playoff games. He won 16 of his last 20 starts.

Sullivan said Murray was understanding of the situation when he was told he was not playing.

“Matt’s great,” Sullivan said. “He’s a very composed kid. He’s played extremely well for this team, as has Marc, and these guys, their contributions to this team, both of them, [backup goalie Jeff] Zatkoff included, all three of those guys are big reasons why this team is where we’re at. It’s very difficult to discount any one of their contributions. We’re fortunate that we have three guys like we have that we can go to, to help this team continue to win, and that’s how we look at it.

“But Matt’s terrific. He understands. He gets it. He’s a mature kid. If and when he’s called upon to go back into the net, he’ll go back in the net. He comes to the rink every day, he puts his equipment on, and he plays, and that’s one of the things we love about him.”

Game 6 is set for Tuesday in Tampa Bay. The Penguins are seeking their first Stanley Cup in seven years.

PHOTO: PITTSBURGH, PA – APRIL 13: Trevor Daley #6 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in action in Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers at Consol Energy Center on April 13, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Sidney Crosby beat goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy from the circle just 40 seconds into overtime to carry the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 home victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 on Monday to tie the NHL Eastern Conference final series 1-1.

Sidney Crosby Nets OT Winner In Penguins’ 3-2 Game 2 Win Over Lightning

Crosby, who had not scored in the postseason since the opening round against the New York Rangers, took a pass from Bryan Rust and buried it for his fourth goal of the playoffs. Crosby came into the second-round series against the Washington Capitals nearly three weeks ago needing just one postseason goal to move past Kevin Stevens into third on the franchise’s all-time list with 147. Going into overtime in Monday night’s game, he still needed that goal to surpass Stevens.

“I think we just felt like we could find another level,” Crosby said after his first overtime playoff goal. “That’s kind of encouraging.”

“I didn’t think Rusty saw me,” Crosby said. “I just tried to let him know that I was there, and he made a perfect pass, put in an area where I could get a quick shot away.”

Matt Cullen and Phil Kessel also scored for the Penguins, who have now improved to 3-1 in overtime in the playoffs. Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray, who has taken over since Game 3 in the opening round, finished with 19 saves. Cullen and Kessel started scoring early for Pittsburgh, with goals at 4:32 and 9:37 of the first, respectively.

Anton Stralman scored for the Lightning in his return from a left leg injury on March 25, while Jonathan Drouin netted his second goal in two games. Vasilevskiy, who stepped in for injured starter Ben Bishop, made 38 saves, 16 of them in the scoreless third period. The 21-year-old Murray, who outplayed the Rangers’ goalie Henrik Lundqvist to eliminate them in five games, then beat the Washington Capitals’ Vezina Trophy finalist Braden Holtby to knock out the best team in the NHL in six games, seemed to have been outshone by the Lightning’s backup goalie–who is his same age–despite putting on a strong performance.

“Matt’s history has always been (that) he’s always responded pretty solid when he thinks he could have had one, and would like one back,” said Penguins coach Mike Sullivan with regards to the two goals Murray let in. “It’s probably fair to say he would have liked that second one back.”

Some of the younger Penguin stars who have usually been at the top of their game this postseason seemed to falter in Game 2. Conor Sheary, who once stood out because of his speed, was so slow and ineffective on Monday that Sullivan was forced to keep him on the bench in the third period.

Tom Kuhnhackl, who had also been contributing steadily to Pittsburgh, stopped being effective after assisting on the first goal of the game by Cullen just four minutes into the first period.

Game 3 is set for Wednesday night in Tampa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZM6NhE1K6g

PHOTO: PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 16: Matt Murray #30 of the Pittsburgh Penguins makes a save against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Consol Energy Center on May 16, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)