NBA: Aron Baynes lifts Boston Celtics to 2-0 lead

Australian big man Aron Baynes energised the Boston Celtics off the bench to another win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Boston Celtics’ Aron Baynes (46) and Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kevin Love fight for position under the basket in Boston.

Aron Baynes had power dunks and sank a key three-pointer to help lift the Boston Celtics to another win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Eastern Conference finals yesterday.

The Celtics survived an early pointscoring onslaught from LeBron James to defeat the Cavaliers 107-94 in Boston and take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

James was sensational in the first quarter, scoring 21 points. He finished the game with 42 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, but the Celtics’ team effort was too much for the Cavaliers.

Australian big man Baynes energised the Celtics off the bench, with two of his three dunks in the first quarter.

He continue his new-found long range shooting with a three-pointer late in the third quarter to put the Celtics up 79-74 and on their way to the victory. Baynes had nine points and six rebounds.

The Celtics’ spread the scoring, with six players in double figures, led by Jaylen Brown’s 23 points.

The Cavs led 27-23 at the end of the first quarter and 47-36 at halftime. James’s dominating play was slowed late in the first half when he was attacking the basket and his face collided with the shoulder of Celtics’ rookie Jayson Tatum.

James went to the locker room with a sprained neck but returned to the court.

The game exploded late in the fourth quarter when Cavs guard JR Smith pushed Boston’s Al Horford in the back going up for a dunk. Celtics’ Marcus Smart then confronted JR Smith.

James had support from forward Kevin Love’s 22 points and 15 rebounds but the Cavs’ guards were once again dismal, with Smith scoreless while missing all seven shot attempts and George Hill scoring just three points.

Game three is in Cleveland on Saturday.

AAP