Kyrie Irving holds off Celtics, brings Cavs closer to Finals rematch

The Cleveland Cavaliers entered Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics with one clear goal in mind — bounce back from an unlikely loss in Sunday's Game 3 and reassert the inevitability of a third-straight appearance in the NBA Finals. For the first half, though, the Cavs' dominance looked anything but assured. A poor start for LeBron James and questionable defense allowed the Celtics to open up a 10-point lead at the break, which pushed the Cavs out of their comfort zone and at least raised questions about their ability to meet the level of Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors.