CLEVELAND -- Kyrie Irving dazzled, Kevin Love needed a while but eventually got hot and the Cleveland Cavaliers dominated on the glass almost from start to finish.
This day -- Sunday's Game 1 of the Cavs-Boston Celtics Eastern Conference Playoff first-round series -- still belonged to LeBron James.
He's back in Cleveland, as you've probably heard. Five years after he left, the playoffs are back in Cleveland, too, as had been penciled in since James announced his return last July. Just like it was in 2010, these Cavs have a shot to go deep and are going as far as James takes them.
The Cavs should beat the Celtics, handily, and they did on Sunday, 113-100. Irving went for 30 points and the Cavs turned that rebounding advantage into second chances and highlight-reel plays, and James was involved in almost all of them. The four-time NBA MVP threw no-look passes, 60-foot chest passes and made the simple plays, too. He kept feeding Love even as Love missed nine of his first 11 shots in his first playoff game, and after the Celtics built an eight-point lead early in the second quarter, James decided it was time to go.
"(James) stayed cool, he stayed calm, and exactly from that point we kind of caught our stride," Cavs coach David Blatt said. "I just think LeBron with his experience and his knowledge of these situations was very much in control. He was mature about it. He took control ... the other guys responded."
After trailing 37-29, the Cavs led at halftime, 62-54. The lead got as big as 20 in the third quarter.
This, James' team-record 72nd playoff game in a Cavs uniform, wasn't his best by the numbers. Though the numbers were still pretty good -- James had 20 points, six rebounds, seven assists and two steals -- this was about sharing the wealth, barreling through the Celtics at times and throwing over their double-teams at others. James still provided plenty of highlights, including a first-quarter blocked shot on an Isaiah Thomas layup and a breakaway dunk that included James casually tossing aside a pursuing Evan Turner to run down a lead pass from Love and turn it into a dunk.
Bigger stages await, but the guy who's been to four straight Finals leading the guys who are new to the postseason is the clear plan.
"With LeBron being our leader, he sets the tone," Love said. "Everyone the past few days could tell he has been locked in. He's set the tone all year but it's even on another level now. He's the guy we look to in all different situations."
Playoff LeBron turns off social media, cuts down on the jokes and turns up the intensity -- both on his teammates and opponents. What's scariest for the Celtics is that James said he uses Game 1 to feel out an opponent more than anything else.
"You just go out and play," James said. "We went down early. For a first game and our first time being together on the playoff floor, I think we did a good job. We need to be much better in Game 2."
The Celtics tried to trap and doubled James when they could. Once the Cavs settled in, though, James found space for his passes and the Cavs ended up with a 46-34 rebounding advantage in part because Celtics coach Brad Stevens said his players didn't get back to the glass after devoting extra attention to James and Irving. Love finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds, and James said that for the Cavs to get to their "ultimate goal, Kevin has to get touches."
For James, the focus is on now. The race goes through June.
"I thought we did as good a job on LeBron as we could have done," Stevens said after Game 1. "You have to pick your poison. That's a really good team."
Before the game, Stevens said he knew the Cavs would make "some superhuman plays" and that James would often start the offense himself, even with Irving on the floor.
"He's the best player in the game because he can do all of it," Stevens said.
Sunday, James made sure his running mates got their numbers and their spotlight. But the big homecoming game 2.0 still came down to James having the ball and making everything go.
Things went well for the Cavs. They went through James.
