BOSTON — LeBron James scored 21 of his 38 points in the first quarter to help Cleveland beat Boston 124-95 on Friday night, handing the Celtics their worst home playoff loss ever and taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals.
Showing no ill-effects of an elbow problem that was the talk of Cleveland during the long layoff, James finished with eight rebounds and seven assists. The 21 points in a quarter was a franchise postseason record.
Antawn Jamison had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Cleveland, while Shaquille O’Neal added 12 points and nine rebounds.
Rajon Rondo, who had 19 assists in Boston’s Game 2 victory on Monday, had 18 points and eight assists.
The Celtics missed 10 of their first 13 shots, hitting just 27 percent in the first quarter to spot Cleveland a 21-point lead.
Game 4 is Sunday.
Suns 110, Spurs 96
SAN ANTONIO — Goran Dragic scored 23 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and Phoenix took a 3-0 lead over San Antonio in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Spurs have put Phoenix through a decade of postseason misery, ousting the Suns from the playoffs four consecutive times since 2003.
Dragic hit nine of 11 shots in the fourth, including all four of his 3-point attempts. Dragic, who is playing in the first postseason of his career, averaged 7.9 points this season and was averaging 5.6 in the postseason entering the game.
No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series. Game 4 is Sunday night in San Antonio.
Arenas out of halfway house
GREAT FALLS, Va. — Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas arrived home Friday morning, having completed the confinement portion of his punishment for bringing guns into the team’s locker room.
Arenas pleaded guilty to felony gun possession in the District of Columbia in January and was sentenced in March to a month in the halfway house. His sentence also includes two years of probation, a $5,000 fine and 400 hours of community service that can’t be performed at basketball clinics.
His sentence started April 9 with two days in jail before he was moved to the halfway house in the Maryland suburbs of Washington.
Zags alum Turiaf set to graduate
SPOKANE — A very familiar graduate will walk across the stage at Gonzaga University’s commencement on Sunday. Ronny Turiaf will receive his degree in sports management, four years after leaving Gonzaga as one of the best players in its history.
Turiaf, who plays for the Golden State Warriors of the NBA, is one of 48 Gonzaga athletes who will receive diplomas.
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