NBA Playoffs 2018 Conference Finals Live: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics

LeBron became LeTired by the end of the 2nd quarter, and he was lifeless, lackluster and haphazard for the most part on defense. The Celtics, buoyed by their home crowd, suffocated the Cavs with two halves of amazing defensive basketball conceding 42 and 41 points. They capitalized on their early 32-19 lead and preserved it for the rest of the game.
The Celtics will fight for a chance to reach in the NBA Finals in just 6 games at the Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday morning by IST and Friday night by ET. It will be a sight to behold if this young and fighting Celtics squad makes it past The King at his own palace.
It was nice to bring the game to y'all out there, we thank every one of you for hanging with us on this live ticker. This is Yash Matange and Amulya Shekhar signing off from the game, reach out to us at Sportskeeda Basketball on Facebook if you have something to talk to us about, or tweet me at tweet_amulya.

The @Celtics protect homecourt and walk off one win away from the 2018 #NBAFinals! #NBAPostgame #CUsRise pic.twitter.com/JbBIJrnUrc
— NBA (@NBA) May 24, 2018

Terry Rozier attacks for the and-1!#CUsRise #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/DsWIYPMnQX
— NBA (@NBA) May 24, 2018

Tatum was still on the floor and they find him as the shot clock expires for a great mid-ranger!

Rodney Hood gets one to fall but it's in garbage time!

On the other end, Rozier drives past Green. He makes the layup and completes the 3-point play.

Stevens now empties his bench!

Hill gets fouled and he makes both FT's.

LeBron is off the floor which basically means Tyronn Lue has waived the white flag.

LeBron misses his 3 and Tatum gets the rebound.

He runs down the floor and gets fouled. He makes 1-of-2

Horford, a little over-agressive, and gets called for a foul.

Horford for 3 and that might have been the dagger with the lead back to 17!

Love misses his hook on the post-up!

Rozier gets one to fall, FINALLY after 12 straight misses.

LeBron dances on Horford, and he makes the leftie layup!

Celtics are shooting 35% from the field and they are up by 14!

Another LeBron turnover!

Tatum blocks a LeBron layup and Rozier collects it but he too turns it over!

Nobody wants to score over the past two minutes.

Terry Rozier toss, Al Horford flush! 👏#CUsRise 85 | #WhateverItTakes 71

5:49 remaining on @ESPNNBA pic.twitter.com/q60pbH4xQf
— NBA (@NBA) May 24, 2018

05:49 left in the fourth quarter, Celtics lead 85-71

LeBron misses his scoop layup and the Celtics run in transition. Boston gets an open Horford dunk on the great alley-oop pass from Rozier!

But Celtics turn it over as well, with an Al Horford travel.

Clarkson misses again!

Both teams missing open shots right now -add Brown and Clarkson to that list.

And now, a 24-second violation by the Celtics.

Celtics can't score on their possession. A rare bad possession out of a timeout.

On the other end, Tatum blocks Korver!

Cavaliers have scored 9 straight to cut the lead down to 12!

Rozier misses the layup on Green but the Cavaliers turn it over!

Jayson Tatum also now misses a leftie layup but this time, the Cavs capitalizes. Jeff Green knocks down the corner 3!

Jeff Green posts up on Jaylen Brown and Brown fouls him.

Green makes 1-of-2, cuts the lead to 15.

Rozier misses his 3 b and Baynes had a chance but mistimes his jump so he can't get the offensive rebound.

Smart misses his 3 but even James misses his on the other end.

Korver comes off a screen and gets a 3 to fall!

On the other end, Jaylen gets fouled by JR and he makes both FT's.

Now, a 21-point lead!

JR can't get one to fall after Cavaliers get the possession on the jumpball between Nance Jr. and Smart.

Both teams trade one bucket each and then Marcus Smart drills a 3!

But the quarter started with a Larry Nance Jr. turnover. He was set for a posterizing dunk but gets called for the offensive foul on Baynes.

Fourth quarter action underway!

21 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST for Jayson Tatum through 3!#CUsRise 76 | #WhateverItTakes 60

Jaylen Brown: 13 PTS
Al Horford: 10 PTS, 11 REB

LBJ: 24 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST#NBAPlayoffs ➡️ @ESPNNBA pic.twitter.com/srgJu4PZ6N
— NBA (@NBA) May 24, 2018

And it stays like that over the last 20 seconds as well, as Brown gets blocked and Clarkson heaves one up to end the quarter!

Nobody has scored since the last timeout! A LOT OF TURNOVERS!

Morris can't score on the drive over Kevin Love but Cavaliers turn it right back with a bad pass!

Cavaliers fail to score again, this time with a Jordan Clarkson turnover.

Kevin Love gets a good look but can't knock down the corner 3!

Marcus Smart puts up a circus shot. He though he was fouled but no call.

Cavaliers turn it over again on the bad pass from Hill as he falls out of bounds.

Celtics turn it over as well!

Marcus to Marcus!@celtics in control on @ESPNNBA #CUsRise #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/Ckw1SxGJ5u
— NBA (@NBA) May 24, 2018

Cavaliers force the issue but end up with a LeBron 3 which doesn't fall.

Celtics had a chance to extend their lead to 18 but Brown turns it over.

Jeff Green gets a bank shot to fall from the post.

Celtics come right back with an easy basket for Morris on the pass from Smart.

Kevin Love posts up again, the Celtics double-team him and the Cavaliers turn it over. Tatum with the steal and he gets a layup, beating LeBron in transition.

Al Horford posts up on Tristan Thompson. He gets fouled and now, he makes both FT's.

Love posts up on Tatum and now gets another one to fall.

A 14-point lead now for Boston!

Tatum gets fouled by JR while trying to set a screen. Cavaliers are in the penalty so Tatum will shoot FT's, and he makes both.

LeBron cuts to the basket and on the pass from Love makes the bucket. He completes the 3-point play with the FT.

NBA Playoffs 2018 Conference Finals Live: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics - Game 5 Live Score

FINAL: Boston Celtics win 96-83. They lead the series 3-2!