LOS ANGELES (AFP) - LeBron James' "worst" was too much for Toronto on Tuesday (May 1) as the Cleveland superstar and his Cavs teammates rallied to stun the Toronto Raptors 113-112 in overtime in Game 1 of their National Basketball Association (NBA) playoff second-round series.
It was a heartbreaker for the Raptors, who led throughout regulation only to see James knot the score at 105-105 with 30.9 seconds left in regulation.
Toronto, the Eastern Conference top seeds for the first time in franchise history, missed their last 11 shots of regulation.
Cleveland's Kyle Korver opened overtime with a three-pointer and the Cavs held on for the victory and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference set.
"It was an all-around team win for us," James said after five Cavs players scored in double figures. "Everybody contributed tonight, and we needed it."
He made just 12 of 30 shots from the floor but still recorded the 21st playoff triple-double of his career with 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds.
"I definitely wasn't as efficient as I like to be," James added. "I missed a lot of open looks. It was probably one of my worst games of the season.
After the high drama in Toronto, all eyes were on Stephen Curry in Oakland, where the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player scored 28 points in his return from a 16-game injury absence to help the reigning champion Golden State Warriors to a 121-116 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Warriors took a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference series, with Curry looking fit and confident as he came off the bench late in the first quarter.
"Everything changed as soon as he walked on the floor," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Curry's impact.
Curry had not played since suffering a sprained left knee ligament on March 23. But he got off to a confident start, quickly draining a three-pointer, and the Warriors, who trailed 18-11 when Curry entered the game, were up 58-55 by halftime.
"He was Steph," Kerr said. "He doesn't take long to warm up, that's for sure."
Curry connected on eight of 15 shots from the field and five-of-10 from three-point range. He pulled down seven rebounds with two assists and three steals.
Kevin Durant paced the Warriors with 29 points, seven assists and six rebounds and Draymond Green fell one rebound shy of a triple double with 20 points, 12 assists and nine boards.
