Cavs sent home early as Celtics win Game 6

BOSTON - The Boston Celtics sent LeBron James and the Cavaliers back to Cleveland to admire all of their regular-season accomplishments.

It's the Celtics who are still in the chase for an NBA title.

Kevin Garnett scored 22 points and added 12 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 12 assists to beat Cleveland 94-85 in Game 6 on Thursday night.

Boston advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, which begin Sunday in Orlando against the Magic, 8-0 in the playoffs after sweeping the Charlotte Bobcats and the Atlanta Hawks in the opening rounds.

James had a triple-double, but he's headed for another early off-season after winning a second MVP award, leading the Cavs to an NBA-best 61 wins and a homecourt advantage they never got to use.

This one is destined to define the future of the franchise - and the rest of the NBA.

The LeBron watch began at 10:53 p.m., when Rondo dribbled out the last 14 seconds and the Celtics began celebrating. James is eligible to opt out of his contract this summer, a move that would make the two-time MVP - and zero-time NBA champion - a free agent and set off a scramble for his services from New York to Miami to Los Angeles and, of course, back in Cleveland.

"Well we know their team is fueled by one guy," Garnett said. "If we could somehow, some way, control the supporting cast we had a chance"

James scored 27 points and had 10 assists and a career playoff-high 19 rebounds. He also committed 9 turnovers.

"I just told him, 'Keep your head up, man. I've been there,"' said Garnett, who toiled as a star without a title in Minnesota for more than a decade before winning one with Boston in 2008. "You have a very, very, very bright future. Continue to work and make decisions based on you and your family. Best advice I can give him."

James seemed like he couldn't wait to slip off his Cavaliers jersey, pulling it off as soon as he reached the tunnel to the locker room. He casually flipped it to an attendant moments after he walked into the dressing room.

Cavs coach Mike Brown said he wasn't ready to think about the future yet.

"Obviously, he's a heck of a talent and a great guy," he said. "But right now we just lost the series. I'm not thinking of that. It wouldn't be fair to everyone in that locker room to think beyond tonight."

Mo Williams scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half for the Cavaliers.

"Just never had a rhythm to the game, and give Boston credit for it," Brown said.

Boston's Paul Pierce scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half after playing just nine minutes - and shooting 1-for-5 - in the first with foul trouble. The Celtics had missed their first eight 3-point attempts when Pierce hit a 3 that gave them a 65-58 lead with 4:06 left in the third.

Last year, the Cavs lost to Orlando in the conference finals, an exit that left James so shaken he skulked off the court without shaking hands. This year, he might not stop until he finds himself in a new city.