Zimpapers Logo

CLEVELAND. – Cleveland Cavaliers set up their third straight NBA Finals appearance against Golden State Warriors with a dominant 135-102 win over Boston Celtics.

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James combined for 79 points at Boston’s TD Gardens to claim the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals 4-1.

James, 32, surpassed Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan as the all-time leading scorer in the play-offs.

The Warriors swept San Antonio Spurs 4-0 in the Western Conference finals.

They were crowned NBA champions in 2015 but were defeated last year as Cleveland’s 52-year wait for a major sporting title came to an end.

Game one of the NBA Finals takes place at the Warriors’ Oracle Arena in Oakland next Thursday.

Cavs small forward James hit a three-pointer from the left wing in the third quarter to pass Jordan’s record of 5,987 play-off points, which had stood for 19 years.

James, who is chasing his fourth NBA title this year, finished with 35 points in the game to set a new mark of 5.995 points in 212 play-off games, while six-time NBA champion Jordan set his record in 179 games.

He has scored 955 of those points against Boston, the most for any player against any team.

Victory secures a seventh consecutive NBA Finals for James, winning two titles in four appearances with Miami Heat between 2011 and 2014, before returning to home-town team Cleveland – BBC Sport.