CLEVELAND—It took mere minutes before the comparisons began flying about Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland fans immediately remembered Game 2 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals.
Cavs head coach Ty Lue compared it to a less-than-ideal moment in Cleveland sports lore: Game 5 of the first round 1989 Eastern Conference Playoffs. Jordan over Ehlo. The shot.
LeBron James deviated from the postseason altogether, calling back to the final seconds of the Cavaliers' win over the Minnesota Timberwolves this past February.
Regardless of the benchmark, the result was the same: A buzzer-beating, game-winner—this one sending the Cavaliers to a 3-2 series lead over the Indiana Pacers, the final score glowing a bright 98-95.