Pacers vs. Cavs 2018 live results: LeBron James and the Cavaliers survive and advance

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were pushed to the very limit. They worked themselves into exhaustion. They gave it their all several rounds earlier than they intended. But in the end, they had enough to defeat the Indiana Pacers, 105-101, in Game 7 to advance to the second round.

LeBron finished the game with 45 points, his ninth career 40-point playoff game. No two were bigger than these to hold off Indiana for the final time.

Thirty-eight of those James came in the first three quarters. That was before he left the game to deal with a familiar issue: cramping. As he did in the 2012 and 2014 Finals, James needed to leave the game because his body was cramping up. These weren’t as bad as the ones he experienced in 2014, but they were rough enough to hold James out for the first three and a half minutes of the fourth quarter.

But instead of folding without their megastar, the Cavaliers thrived. Kevin Love finally came alive with a couple threes, and Cleveland pushed the lead to 10 before James returned. They improbably outscored Indiana by eight points with LeBron on the bench. The final margin of victory? Four points.

Cleveland also got unexpected contributions from Tristan Thompson and George Hill. Thompson started the game after falling out of the rotation earlier in the series and delivered with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Hill, who had not played since Game 2 due to an injury, came in midway through the third quarter and contributed 11 points, six rebounds, and three assists the rest of the way.

Victor Oladipo led the way for Indiana with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, finishing off an incredible season. The Pacers will be disappointed not to win, but they served notice to the NBA world that they’ll be a threat for years to come.

Cavaliers 102, Pacers 96, 30.2 seconds left

What a brilliant play. LeBron James had Kyle Korver screen for him, then swung the ball to Korver when double-teamed. But instead of stop, LeBron then cut down the lane and got a return pass from Korver for a layup. That was his 44th point of the game, and it might be the one that really seals it.

Cavaliers 100, Pacers 96, 50.4 seconds left

Still not over, somehow! Victor Oladpo missed a layup, Domantas Sabonis got swatted, and LeBron James ... got called for a loose ball foul.

On the ensuing possession, Oladipo waltzed easily down the lane for a layup. The Cavs looked like they were giving it to him. That’s how bad the defense was.

Cavaliers 98, Pacers 92, 1:58 left in 4Q

Oh man. Ohhhh man. Darren Collison was wide open in the corner with a chance to cut Cleveland’s lead to three, and he missed it. Like, wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide open.

That might be it.

Cavaliers 97, Pacers 90, 4:10 left in 4Q

Myles Turner picked up his sixth foul on this play.

He couldn’t believe it. Neither can we.

Domantas Sabonis has played better than Turner in this series, but that’s still a huge call that the referees probably got wrong.

Cavaliers 95, Pacers 88, 5:18 left in 4Q

This game is not over. The Pacers keep coming, and LeBron James, after an amazing first three quarters, is looking tired. He has just two fourth-quarter points, and they came on a goaltend by Myles Turner.

Victor Oladipo, who probably should have been playing the entire fourth quarter, has 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.

Cavaliers 93, Pacers 84, 6:11 left in 4Q

Kevin Love is alive! Two massive three-pointers put the Cavaliers up double digits, though Indiana hasn’t quit yet.

Cavaliers 86, Pacers 79, 8:22 left in 4Q

LeBron is now back in. Here’s why he checked out.

Cavaliers 86, Pacers 76, 8:41 left in 4Q

False alarm! LeBron is still resting on the bench thanks to cramping. And the Cavaliers still (somehow) are extending the lead!

Cavaliers 82, Pacers 74, 9:41 left in 4Q

Not ideal for the Pacers. As LeBron James received treatment for cramping in the locker room, the remaining Cavaliers pushed a two-point advantage to eight.

Now, LeBron is coming back in. Indiana might come to rue this as an incredible missed opportunities.

Cavs 76, Pacers 74 - End of 3Q

We definitely have a game heading into the fourth quarter after a great third from the Pacers but the real story here is LeBron James exiting the court with a minute to go in the third and heading back to the locker room. Trainers are with him but it’s unknown why he left. He currently has 38 points, six rebounds, and seven assists.

He was still in the locker room as the fourth quarter begins, but walked out in the first minute.

ESPN’s Doris Burke reported that James experienced cramping, much like he did most notably during Game 1 of the 2014 NBA Finals. We’ll keep an eye on this.

Cavs 69, Pacers 68 - 2:34 3Q

Pacers trail here late in the third but it’s worth celebrating this Oladipo step back three-pointer over James.

Pacers 59, Cavs 58 - 7:12 3Q

A Bojan Bogdanovic three-pointer gives the Pacers their first lead of the game! That’s a 16-4 run for Indiana to start the third.

Cavs 56, Pacers 52 - 9:11 3Q

It’s a 9-2 run to start the third quarter for Indiana, including a pull up three-pointer in transition for Victor Oladipo. Do we have a game?

Cavs 54, Pacers 43 - Halftime

LeBron James been the best version of himself in Game 7. Did you expect anything less?

Cavs 49, Pacers 37 - 3:38 2Q

The Pacers cut into the lead with a mostly bench lineup in for the Cavs. The Cavs made an adjustment and well, LeBron is being LeBron. He’s got 20 points in the first half for the fourth time this series.

Cavs 37, Pacers 33 - 6:07 2Q

The Cavs 14-point lead has gotten down to just four thanks to a 10-0 run.

Cavs 35, Pacers 21 - 9:54 2Q

LeBron update: He’s 7-of-7.

Cavs 31, Pacers 19 - End of 1Q

LeBron James is 5-of-5 to star the game with 13 points. The Cavs have six players who have already scored as James also continues to let his teammates get involved.

Cavs 26, Pacers 16 - 2:08 1Q

Lance got a technical foul for an “after the whistle” foul. Interesting call.

Cavs 19, Pacers 11 - 3:37 1Q

Tristan Thompson is ALIVE!

Tristan Thompson's best postseason QTR for Rebs is 9 (vs Warriors in 2016: 1st Qtr, Game 6) ... already has 7. #WhateverItTakes
— Allie Clifton (@FSOAllieOop) April 29, 2018

Cavs 9, Pacers 2 - 7:43 1Q

The Cavaliers went big in Game 7, starting LeBron James, J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver, Kevin Love, and Tristan Thompson. It’s worked so far on offense for them. As for the Pacers, they’re getting open looks they just cannot get anything to fall. They’re 0-of-5 to start the game and they’ve all been from behind the arc.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers will decide their first-round NBA playoff series on Sunday afternoon with Game 7 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

This has been a weird series thus far, with a pair of Indiana blowout wins bookending four close contests from Games 2-5. One of those blowouts came in Game 1 in Cleveland, a 98-80 Pacers victory.

Indiana won at home by a whopping 34 points in Game 6 on Friday night to force a deciding Sunday game. Victor Oladipo had his first-ever playoff triple-double with 28 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.

“I just went out there and played. I did everything with confidence. I just played read and react,” Oladipo told the Associated Press. “This game is over. It means absolutely nothing right now.”

LeBron James is averaging 32.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists in the series, and has lead the Cavaliers in scoring in every game.

This is the seventh Game 7 in LeBron’s career, and his first since leading Cleveland to its first NBA championship against Golden State in the 2016 NBA Finals. James is 4-2 in his career in Games 7, but hasn’t lost since 2008. He has won his last four Games 7, and over the previous six deciders has averaged 33.2 points and 9.3 rebounds.

The Cavaliers are 3-2 all-time in Game 7 contests, including 2-0 at home with wins coming in 1976 and 1992. Indiana is 3-5 all-time in Game 7, including 2-5 on the road.

The winner on Sunday will advance to play the top-seed Toronto Raptors in the second round.