Sat May 10 10:33:38 2008

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Cavs, Celtics resume best-of-seven series in Cleveland

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(Sports Network) - The Boston Celtics attempt to take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in their Eastern Conference semifinal series, as the teams meet tonight at Quicken Loans Arena.

On Thursday, Paul Pierce paced a balanced Boston attack with 19 points and six rebounds as the top-seeded Celtics routed No. 4 Cleveland, 89-73, in Game 2 at TD Banknorth Garden.

Kevin Garnett added 13 points and 12 boards for the Celtics, while Ray Allen, who was held scoreless for the first time since February 26, 1997 in the opener of this series, bounced back with 16 points for Boston, which is a perfect 6-0 at home in the postseason.

LeBron James scored 21 points but was just 6-of-24 from the floor for the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers superstar is shooting a miserable 8-for-42 from the field in the series. Zydrunas Ilgauskas ended with 19 points on 9-of-12 from the field for Cleveland, while Wally Szczerbiak netted 13 in defeat

In the opener, Garnett scored 28 points, including the go-ahead layup with 21.4 seconds left, and the put a defensive blanket on James, holding the Cavaliers superstar to only two field goals, as Boston edged Cleveland, 76-72.

On the injury front for Cleveland, Ben Wallace (allergies/inner ear infection) is doubtful for tonight's game.

The Cavaliers have won a best-of-seven series after losing Games 1 and 2. Cleveland defeated the Detroit Pistons in the 2007 East finals after dropping the first two games of the set at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Cleveland has lost two straight Game 3s in the postseason, while Boston has dropped four straight Game 3s.

Game 4 of this best-of-seven series is scheduled for Monday at Quicken Loans Arena.

Boston has lost a playoff series after winning the first two games of the set. In the 1990 first round, the New York Knicks knocked out the Celtics in five contests, 3-2.

The Cavaliers are 2-1 at home in this year's playoffs, while the Celtics are 0-3 on the road.

This is the fourth time these teams have met in the postseason. Boston defeated the Cavaliers in six games, 4-2, in the 1976 East finals, and in four contests, 3-1, in the first round of the 1985 playoffs. Cleveland knocked out the Celtics in seven games in the 1992 East semis.

Boston has made it to the East semis for the first time since 2003. That year, the Celtics were swept by the New Jersey Nets, 4-0. The last time the Celtics won in this round was in 2002 when they knocked out Detroit in five, 4-1, before losing to the Nets in the East finals, 4-2.

The Celtics survived a scare in the opening round, as they knocked out the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks in seven games. The home team won every game in the series. Boston won its four contests by an average of 25.3 points.

The Cavaliers, who are the defending Eastern Conference champions and knocked out the Wizards in round one, are 3-2 all-time in the semifinals. They defeated the Washington Bullets in 1976, Boston in 1992 and New Jersey in 2007. Cleveland lost in the semis to Chicago in 1993 and Detroit in 2006.