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Saturday, Apr. 1 7:30pm ET
Kemp can't miss with game on line | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Shawn Kemp, who couldn't make a shot in the first quarter, couldn't miss with the game on the line Saturday night. Kemp missed his first five shots, then went 8-for-8 the rest of the way, finishing with 22 points and 14 rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Boston Celtics 109-103. He had eight points and five rebounds in the fourth quarter as Cleveland repeatedly drove to the basket, making layups or earning free throws. The Cavaliers made 13 of 15 from the line in the quarter. "Shawn couldn't get into any rhythm offensively because they were jamming him inside a lot," Cavs coach Randy Wittman said. "We made some bad feeds into him, too. The last seven minutes he was active and a presence on the boards, though." Paul Pierce scored 22 points to lead Boston, which lost its seventh in a row. "We had a game plan set, and at times we don't follow it," Pierce said. "It just goes to having our focus and concentrating." Boston coach Rick Pitino said the Celtics' lack of defensive intensity was key. "We're a young basketball team that does not pay enough attention to the fundamentals of defense," Pitino said. "Because of that, (Cleveland) scored some uncontested buckets." Cedric Henderson scored a season-high 20 points in 24 minutes and sparked the Cavaliers early in the final quarter. His driving layup tied the score at 84 and capped a 22-12 run that started late in the third quarter. "It was just fun to get out there and play a little," Henderson said. Henderson was activated March 20 after having surgery on his left thumb Feb. 8. "This season has been real tough, a learning experience," Henderson said. "It was tough to sit and watch." Henderson had 12 points in the fourth quarter and put Cleveland ahead to stay at 92-89 with 5:42 to play with a three-point play. Boston pulled within 102-100 on a driving shot by Kenny Anderson with 1:03 to play, but Lamond Murray hit a 3-pointer from the corner 15 seconds later to put Cleveland back in command. All five of Boston's starters scored in double figures, but the Cavaliers' reserves held a 51-16 scoring advantage. "The first unit struggled," starting center Mark Bryant said. "If not for the second unit, we don't win this one. Every one of them came in and played well." Former Cavaliers center Vitaly Potapenko had 19 points and Anderson scored 18 for Boston. Murray had 11 of his 19 points in the first half for Cleveland.
Game notes | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Boston Clubhouse Cleveland Clubhouse RECAPS Cleveland 109 Boston 103
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