LeBron drives Cavs to overtime win

May 25, 2015 - 6:16 AM LeBron James was the hero and Australian teammate Matthew Dellavedova a villain in some eyes as the Cleveland Cavaliers won a controversial, overtime thriller against the Atlanta Hawks.

The 114-111 win in Cleveland gave the Cavaliers a 3-0 lead in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals and just one more victory will send them to the Championship series.

Superstar James, suffering cramping and several injuries, asked to be subbed out in the overtime period, but stayed on and in the final seconds hit a three-pointer and then drove through Hawks' defenders to bank the final basket.

After missing with his first 10 shots, James finished with an enormous output of 37 points, 18 rebounds, 13 assists and three steals from almost 45 minutes on court before sagging to his knees when the game ended.

"Unbelievable," is how Cavaliers' coach David Blatt described James' effort.

"I have never seen a stat line like that.

"He played through pain, he played through cramps and he just would not let us lose."

Dellavedova, who played his second consecutive game in the Cavaliers' starting line-up with Kyrie Irving out with tendinitis in his left knee, also had an impressive stat line of 17 points and three rebounds.

Instead of enjoying the win, James and Blatt were forced to rebuff questions about whether Dellavedova was a dirty player.

Hawks guard Kent Bazemore said the Australian had a "track record" and forward DeMarre Carroll said players should never dive at an opponent's legs.

Late in the second quarter Dellavedova became entangled with the Hawks' best player, All-Star centre Al Horford, and after they fell to the floor Horford lashed out at Dellavedova's head with his elbow and forearm.

Horford was given a category two flagrant foul, was ejected from the game and could be suspended for Tuesday's all-important game four.

Horford said Dellavedova "went at" him in the play.

The Hawks were already angry that in game two on Friday Dellavedova crashed into the legs of their three-point specialist Kyle Korver when diving to reclaim the ball, causing a high ankle sprain that ended his season.

Horford admitted he was upset when Korver was felled and when asked if Dellavedova was a dirty player he replied the Australian "plays hard".

"But, there's got to be a line at some point," Horford said.

Dellavedova dismissed the Hawks' comments and said TV replays showed in the Korver incident he was only protecting the ball and in game three it was Horford who pulled him to the floor.

"I'm trying to stay up and he's pulling me down," Dellavedova said.

James, sitting alongside Dellavedova at the post-game press conference, said the Hawks were wrong in their assessment of his guard.

"Obviously I'm a little off about it because this is my guy," James said.

"This is my team-mate and this is the guy who goes out and works his tail off every single night and people are trying to give him a bad rap and he doesn't deserve it and I don't like it."

Dellavedova was fined in the semi-final series against the Chicago Bulls when he locked up forward Taj Gibson's legs while on the floor, which angered Gibson and led to him kicking at the Australian.

Gibson was also ejected.

"He (Dellavedova) has only been in the league for a couple of years but he has to learn its a big brotherhood here and guys look out for each other," Horford said.

"I don't think it was malicious, but he has to learn."

Bazemore added: "From my point of view Dellavedova was down at Al's knees and (Horford's action) was retaliation I think."

"If you look at his track record and history there's a lot of things that can be said."

Despite his injuries, James said he would be on the court on Tuesday to eliminate the Hawks.

"No chance at all," he said when asked if he might sit out the game.

Source: AAP