CLEVELAND (AP) Leprechauns are imaginary. Celtic pride is very real.
Avery Bradley’s 3-pointer danced on the rim and dropped with less than a second left and Boston, blown out in the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals and playing without star Isaiah Thomas, stunned the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-108 on Sunday night in Game 3 to end the champions’ 13-game postseason winning streak.
Bradley’s shot from the left wing – off a play designed by coach Brad Stevens – bounced on the rim four times before going down. It capped a furious, focused comeback by the Celtics, who trailed by 21 in the third quarter before rallying to tighten up a series that appeared to be over.
Smart, who started in place of Thomas, made seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points, and Bradley had 20 for the Celtics, who were given little chance after losing by 44 in Game 2 and then losing Thomas for the rest of the postseason because of a hip injury.
Kyrie Irving scored 29 points, and Kevin Love had 28 for Cleveland. The Cavaliers dropped to 10-1 in the postseason with their first loss since Game 4 of last year’s Finals.
Game 4 is Tuesday night in Cleveland.
Los Celtics de Boston lograron superar todos los pronósticos y vencer a los que parecian intocables Campeones de la NBA, en su propio patio…
Avery Bradley con un triple que bailo en el aro con menos de un segundo por jugar, le dio a Boston su primera victoria, en el tercer partido por el titulo de la Conferencia del Este frente a los Cleveland Cavaliers y fue por esos 3 puntos de diferencia 111-108, el domingo en la noche, terminando con una racha de 13 victrorias consecutivas en postemporada para Cleveland.
Boston jugando sin su estelar Isaiah Thomas, tuvo en Marcus Smart el maximo anotador con 7 triples y 27 puntos y Bradley otros 20 mas.
El cuarto partido de la serie se reliazará el martes en Cleveland.