The AP reports:
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LeBron James just missed a triple-double despite an apparently sore right elbow, and the Cleveland Cavaliers advanced to a playoff date with Boston by beating Chicago 96-94 in Game 5 on Tuesday night in perhaps Vinny Del Negro’s final game as Bulls coach.
James, favoring a tender right elbow that appears to hurt worse than he’s letting on, scored 19 points—16 in the second half—and added 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Cavs finally saddled the stubborn Bulls to win the series 4-1. Unable to lift his right arm, James was forced to shoot a free throw left-handed with 7.8 seconds left.
Antawn Jamison scored 25 points for Cleveland, which will face the Celtics, reuniting teams that don’t like each other and who played a testy seven-game series in 2008…
Derrick Rose scored 31 points and Luol Deng 26 for the Bulls, who had several shots roll in and out in the final minutes.
Delonte West had 16 points and Shaquille O’Neal added 14 while racking up fouls against Chicago’s big men.
InsideHoops.com notes:
The Bulls hit just 2-of-10 three-pointers.
The starting Cavs guards were awful today. Mo Williams shot just 2-of-13 for the Cavs, finishing with seven points and five assists. Anthony Parker played 19 minutes and had three points and almost nothing else.
Shaq shot 7-of-9 for 14 and eight, though he had a few too many turnovers.
Derrick Rose had 31 points, but it took 27 shots, with six assists.
Other than Luol Deng shooting 9-of-17 for 26 points, few Bulls stepped up offensively.
