Cavs return to Boston for Game 7, 74-69

CLEVELAND -- The Cavaliers will be shipping back to Boston after stretching the Celtics to a deciding Game 7 in this Eastern Conference semifinal after staving off elimination in Game 6 with a 74-69 victory at Quicken Loans Arena.

Although LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 32 points and 12 rebounds, it was Joe Smith, who came off the bench to tally 9 points, who sealed the verdict after the Celtics closed to within 3 by hitting a pair of clutch foul shots with 14.4 seconds left.

``We knew it was going to be tough; that's a good team over there,'' Smith said afterward. ``We just wanted to send it back to Boston.''

Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 25 points and 8 rebounds while Paul Pierce had 15 points.

After trailing by 13 (65-52) with 9:51 to go, the Celtics rallied to score 8 unanswered points to pull within 5 (65-60) on a Garnett key-top jumper with 6:10 to go. At this juncture, things were looking good for the Celtics.

That was, however, until James heated up and made a pair of back-to-back baskets -- on an isolation play and a shot-clock beating jumper -- that enabled the Cavs to gain some breathing room, 69-60, with 4:07 left.

A timely trey by Eddie House cut it to 69-63, but Wally Szczerbiak answered with one of his own to give the Cavs a 9-point lead, 72-63, with 2:10 left.

The Celtics, however, got to within 3, 72-69, on a Kendrick Perkins dunk and two foul shots apiece by Pierce and Ray Allen, the latter with 23.4 seconds left.

With two fouls to give, House fouled Szczerbiak on the ensuing inbounds play to force the Cavs to attempt another inbounds play with 16.2 seconds left.

Delonte West inbounded the ball to Joe Smith, who was fouled and went to the line for a pair of foul shots that gave the Cavs a 5-point lead, 74-69, with 14:4 seconds left.