The Cleveland Cavaliers survived their first-round scare against the Indiana Pacers, winning 105-101 in Game 7. LeBron James once again led the way, finishing with 45 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.
James remains undefeated in the first round of the playoffs, advancing to the second round for the 13th straight season. This series against the Pacers was the first time James' team was pushed to a Game 7 in the first round.
His record in the opening round is now 52-10.
After suffering defeat in his first two tries, James has won five straight Game 7s, two of which came in the NBA Finals - 2013 against the San Antonio Spurs (as a member of the Miami Heat) and 2016 against the Golden State Warriors.
The three-time NBA champion's 45 points tie his Game 7 career high against the Boston Celtics in 2008 and are the second-most in a Game 7 win in NBA history.
James averaged 34.4 points in the series and had little to no help, as no teammate was able to score 19-plus points in a single game. The Cavaliers had four or more double-figure scorers just twice in the series.
With one minute remaining in the third quarter, James went to the locker room after suffering cramps but returned at the 8:25 mark of the fourth quarter to help close out the game. His initial plan was to play the entire game before suffering the same fate that forced him out of the final stretch of Game 1 of the 2014 NBA Finals.
The Cavaliers now head north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
