Imrem: James finally delivers when it matters most

The Cleveland Cavaliers were whooping it up in the United Center hallway like they just won the NBA title.

Maybe they did.

OK, so that's premature. This playoff series against the Bulls is only the second round. A champion won't be anointed for another month.

But it had the feel of something big late Sunday afternoon when LeBron James hit a 21-foot jump shot to give the Cavaliers an 86-84 victory.

Instead of the Bulls taking a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, the Cavs returned to Cleveland tied at 2-2 and with homecourt advantage restored.

"This is a huge win for our young guys," James said. "We came through in a hostile environment."

While the Bulls and Cavs were competing fiercely down the stretch, a veteran national journalist wondered out loud whether the game indeed would settle the championship.

The winner on this day would be favored in the series. The winner of the series could be favored in the Eastern Conference finals. The winner of the conference title should have a solid chance in the NBA Finals.

No wonder James let out a roar in the hallway that could be followed by at least two or three exclamation marks.

This Game 4 was waiting for James to win it for the Cavs the way Derrick Rose won Game 3 for the Bulls with a long jumper at the buzzer.

But for the longest time the best basketball player on the planet didn't appear up to the task.

James had connected on only 9 of 29 field-goal attempts and committed 8 turnovers. He was whistled for a couple of charging fouls. An extraordinary player looked sub-ordinary.

"I don't like letting my teammates down," James said.

But then his 30th shot of the day nestled into the basket and not only ended the game but won it.

David Blatt had an interesting way of explaining why James was going to take that last shot regardless of how he had been misfiring.

"If I go out to dinner, I usually get the check … I take it," the Cavs' coach said. "LeBron takes the responsibility. He didn't have the best shooting game, yet he takes the responsibility."

James' performance mirrored the afternoon: mostly terrible basketball but at the same time a terrific game.

The Bulls and Cavaliers kept coming at each other, kept competing, kept making each other and themselves look like NBA draft lottery teams.

Neither of them could reach 40 percent in shooting from the field, partly because of bad aim and partly because of fierce defense.

"That's what wins these ballgames," James said. "You have to lay your head on something defensively, and that's what we did in the fourth quarter."

The NBA East semifinal series is becoming a test of attrition with both teams trying to overcome the adversity of injury.

The Cavs lost Kevin Love for the series to shoulder surgery and Kyrie Irving is hobbling around on a lame foot.

The Bulls played Game 4 without Pau Gasol, who has an ailing hamstring, and with a other players fighting through their own pain.

James himself made the winning shot after stepping on Rose's foot and rolling his ankle in the third quarter.

"I was not coming out," James said. "I was going to fight through it no matter what."

He did that awkwardly but well enough to win the game.

Now we'll have to wait to see who is healthy enough to celebrate in the hallway Tuesday night in Cleveland.

mimrem@dailyherald.com