LeBron James scores 46 points as Cavaliers defeat Celtics to force Game 7

It’s time for a Game 7 — thanks in big part to LeBron James.

The Boston Celtics had shaved a double-digit deficit to seven points late in the fourth quarter of Game 6 between the Celtics and Cavaliers. James needed two possessions to stifle their rally.

James hit a pair of contested, stepback 3-pointers with two minutes left in the fourth quarter to put the Cavaliers back up by double-digits. After the second, over outstretched rookie Jayson Tatum, James beat his chest with both fists three times and roared while Quicken Loans Arena erupted in unison.

James’ daggers allowed him to check out of a 109-97 Cavaliers win in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals May 25 with 57 seconds to play. He sat down with 46 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists as the Cavaliers evened their Eastern Conference Finals series at 3-3.

Game 7 is May 27 at 8:30 p.m. in Boston.

“If you love challenges,” James said, “then this is a great opportunity.”

Greatness is all Cavaliers’ coach Tyronn Lue said comes to mind when he considers James.

“I think championship pedigree,” Lue said. “Giving it his all. We needed that, especially when Kevin (Love) down. We had to play ‘Bron as many minutes as we had to, so he delivered.”

James is 13-9 all-time when facing elimination.

George Hill scored 20 points, his highest-scoring game of this postseason, Jeff Green added 14 points and Larry Nance Jr. chipped in 10 off the bench.

James’ Game 6 effort was of the type Hill received as an opponent.

“That guy amazes me every night,” Hill said. “The amount of minutes, the amount of years he’s got, the amount of fouls he’s got, the guys he’s got hanging off his body and things like that. What he does, night-in and night-out, is something remarkable. That’s why he’s one of the best in the world, if not the best.”

Terry Rozier led the Celtics with 28 points and Jaylen Brown added 27.

Boston never trailed in the first period and held the Cavaliers to 36 percent shooting. The Cavaliers closed within one, 21-20, late in the quarter before Brown responded with a layup and a jumper over Kyle Korver. Brown scored 15 in the quarter and the Celtics shot 61 percent to take a 25-20 lead.

Love left the game midway through the first quarter after a collision with Jayson Tatum. He did not return to the game, and the Cavaliers said he was being evaluated for a concussion.

Green assumed the bulk of Love’s playing time. The Cavaliers’ reserves outscored the Celtics bench, 36-20.

The Cavaliers outscored the Celtics, 34-18, in the second quarter.

The Cavaliers took their first lead four minutes into the second quarter. Korver won a jump ball against Aron Baynes then Green kicked out of the post to James for a 3 that put the Cavaliers ahead, 34-33. They never trailed again.

James’ 3 was part of a 14-1 Cavaliers’ run that helped them assert control in the second quarter. The Cavaliers held the Celtics without a basket for nearly five minutes, a span that separated a pair of 3-pointers from Rozier.

“We stopped getting the ball inside,” Rozier said. “We looked for a lot of mismatches, postups in the first quarter. We went away from that in the second quarter, they got run-outs and started playing with pace.”

James put the Cavaliers ahead 16 early in the second half when Rozier tried to capitalize on a man-advantage off James’ transition layup. James sprinted the length of the court to spike Rozier’s layup off a euro-step to the Celtics’ bench.

Boston cut into the Cavaliers’ lead to pull within 10, 83-73, after three quarters when Rozier hit a catch-and-shoot 3 with three seconds left in the period.

The Celtics’ chances at eliminating the Cavaliers sustained well into the fourth quarter, until James put them down and ignited raucous jubilation.

“The love of the game causes reactions like that,” James said. “Understanding the situation and understanding the moment that you’re in, it’s a feeling you can’t explain unless you’re a part of it.”