USA - Lebron lifts Cavs to 3-2 lead

AUBURN HILLS (NBA) - LeBron James scored a play-off career-high 48 points - including the final 25 - to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 109-107 double-overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons in Game Five of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday.

The spectacular effort by James gave the Cavaliers a 3-2 lead in the series and the chance to close out the Pistons in Game Six on Saturday in Cleveland.

"LeBron was huge," said Cavs forward Drew Gooden, whose free throw late in regulation was the only one of Cleveland's final 30 points not scored by James. "I fouled out so I was on the bench watching it, but I felt like I was playing a video game out there with the Cavaliers - just watching him take over like in a video game."

The Pistons must have felt the same way, unable to stop James' slashing drives or outside jumpers. On the winning basket, James penetrated down the lane and scooped in a lay-up with 2.2 seconds to play for a 109-107 lead.

"I thought that obviously LeBron had a terrific game," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "I mean, we've been riding him the whole season. We rode him most the play-offs and tonight for him to score 29 of the last 30 points, somebody told me that in the locker room and I could not believe it.

"That was a phenomenal performance. Not only that but the guy had seven assists, he has nine rebounds, he did it all. He always does it all for us."

In Game One, James was roundly criticised for not attempting the winning shot, instead passing to team-mate Donyell Marshall for a missed three-pointer. In Game Two, James missed a shot in the lane with 7.9 seconds to play.

He left little to chance on Thursday night, repeatedly attacking the rim, including consecutive dunks at the end of regulation.

"I made a lot of good moves and I was able to finish," James said. "It wasn't just like they opened up the lane and let me through there.

"I made a lot of good moves, my team-mates did a good job of spacing the floor and I just wanted to try to finish."

FIBA