LeBron James, Cavaliers knocked out of NBA playoffs in 94-85 loss to Celtics

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 against the Orlando Magic, a team that is undefeated in the playoffs after sweeping Charlotte and Atlanta in the opening rounds. Game 1 is Sunday afternoon in Orlando.

"Winning is gratifying. You're playing the best team in basketball; the challenge is there; you don't have to dress it up," Garnett said. "One thing we don't lack is confidence. We're a veteran team and we understand when it's time to lock in as a group. I think we did just that. I think the experience is taking over."

Despite his sixth career playoff triple-double, James is headed for another early offseason after winning a second MVP award and leading the Cavs to an NBA-best 61 wins and a home-court advantage they never got to use.

"The fact that it's over right now is definitely a surprise to me," James said. "A friend of mine told me, 'I guess you've got to go through a lot of nightmares before you realize your dream.' That's what's going on for me individually right now."

This offseason is destined to define the future of the franchise — and the rest of the NBA, too.

The LeBron watch began when Rondo dribbled out the last 14 seconds and the Celtics began celebrating their 4-2 victory in the best-of-seven series. 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.

"I just told him, 'Keep your head up, man. I've been there,' " said Garnett, who was a star without a title in Minnesota for more than a decade before joining the Celtics and leading them to their NBA-record 17th championship 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 scored 27 points with 10 assists, and his 19 rebounds matched a career high and were the most he's ever had in a playoff game. But he also had nine turnovers.

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

"The regular season is a lot different than the postseason," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "We knew that they were going to be a different team. We hoped that we were. Boston stepped up, and we didn't."

Notes

• After surviving throat-and-neck cancer this spring — and a blood-clot scare in recent weeks — Denver Nuggets coach George Karl is feeling better and plans to return to coaching next season. "I'll be excited to be back on the bench. That's what I do, that's the dream," said Karl, 59.

• Golden State Warriors guard Kelenna Azubuike has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, needed because of his patella-tendinitis condition.