For the first time this postseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers faced adversity in Game 4 against the Boston Celtics. They came into Tuesday's matchup with 2-1 series lead as they lost Game 3 on their home floor. Since Boston was playing without its leading scorer Isaiah Thomas, and Game 5 to be played in Boston, it was somewhat a "must win" situation for the Cavaliers.
The Celtics played to keep their season alive, and led by as many as 16 points in the first half (49-33). When LeBron James picked up his fourth personal foul at the 6:46 mark of the second quarter and Boston leading 43-33 at that point, it appeared like the Celtics are on their way to another upset in this series.
But that's when Kyrie Irving showed up and put on a show.
Flashes of greatness by Kyrie
With LeBron on the bench, Irving scored 12 of his team's final 14 points in the first half as he kept the Cavaliers within reach at halftime. When James returned to the floor in the third quarter, Irving continued to score at will. He went on to score 21 points while shooting 9-for-10 in the third quarter as he erased a 10-point deficit at halftime and turned it into a 7-point lead for the Cavaliers after three quarters of play. Kyrie was spectacular in the period, scoring in various ways and leaving the crowd and his teammates in odd. He was 7-of-7 in the paint in the third quarter as he continued to score layup after layup.
Irving finished the game with a career playoff-high 42 points on 15-for-22 shooting. He also added four assists and three rebounds and shot 4-for-7 from behind the arc. Cavaliers ended up winning Game 4 112-99 and with 3-1 series lead they will now have three chances of winning the series and advancing to the NBA finals.
Kyrie's 42 points were the most points scored in a playoff game by a LeBron James teammate since Dwyane Wade scored 41 in 2012.
Irving joined LeBron James as the only players in Cavaliers franchise history with multiple 40+ point playoff games. James has done it 15 times while Irving now has 2 such games.
"He's a special kid"
After Game 4 victory and Irving's special performance, this is what LeBron James had to say in a postgame interview, "I've been saying it since I got here.
He's a special kid, a special talent. It was nothing surprising to me, tonight he showed why he's one of the best point guards in the league."
Kyrie Irving himself addressed the media also as he said, "In the back of my mind, I was saying to myself that they cannot tie up this series. We cannot go to Boston 2-2. Then it becomes almost an even series." He also added, "That's an incredible zone to be in, which I was tonight."
It surely was, and it was also incredible to watch as Cavaliers' point guard showed once again why he's considered as one of the most clutch players in the league with "Mamba mentality". Kobe Bryant would've been proud, no doubt.
