LeBron James is facing a rare test of his mettle, with the misfortunes stockpiling in a playoff series the Cavs now trail 2-1 to the Chicago Bulls.

CHICAGO - LeBron James said "I still have really high hopes" for the Cavaliers, who trail the Chicago Bulls 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals and can't seem to shake their bad luck.

From Derrick Rose's buzzer-beating bank shot Friday night, to Kyrie Irving aggravating a right foot strain that's apparently bothered him for weeks, to the team bus arriving 30 minutes late the United Center, the 99-96 loss to the Bulls in Game 3 was littered with misfortune.

Throw in Kevin Love's season-ending shoulder surgery, J.R. Smith's two-game suspension (that is now over), and Iman Shumpert's groin injury sustained after two stellar performances starting in Smith's place, and Cleveland would seem to be more vulnerable now than at any point since mid-January.

At the trade deadline in February, James declared the Cavs good enough to win a championship, a feeling he clung to the rest of the regular season.

"I think what we have, we could still compete at a high level," James said, though he conceded the injuries have "definitely taken a toll on our team."

The Cavs didn't practice Saturday, and instead watched some film in a hotel ballroom and went through various medical treatment and stretching routines. Coach David Blatt seemed to shrug off his team's growing pile of bad luck, saying "that's all right. That turns around. ... We just got to stay with it."

Irving, who will play Sunday in Game 4 despite the foot injury that Blatt blamed for a brutal 11-point, zero-assists game against Rose on Friday night, said "we're in a fight.

"It's as simple as I can put that. We're not going to hold our heads down," Irving said.

The Bulls may have their own adversity, depending on the availability Sunday of Pau Gasol, who's listed as questionable after suffering a left hamstring injury Friday.

The Bulls are expecting James to try and impact Game 4 the way he did in Game 2, scoring 33 points and leading the Cavs to a blowout win. But even James is in a spot that not so familiar or comfortable.

James is nearly averaging a triple-double in this series with 26.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game, but he's also averaging five turnovers and shooting just 39.5 percent (8.3 percent from three-point land). He's a career 48-percent shooter in the postseason and 32.5 percent shooter from long range.

James' teams are also 3-3 in playoff series over his 10 postseasons when falling behind 2-1 in the series. But when James' team has specifically lost Game 3 to fall behind in the series, he's just 1-2 in those series.

The San Antonio Spurs took Game 3 of the Finals last season en route to a 4-1 series triumph, and in 2009 the Orlando Magic took out the Cavs in six games after winning Game 3. In 2012, the Heat won games four, five, and six to overcome a 2-1 deficit to the Indiana Pacers. Miami won its first of two titles that season.

James called Cleveland's Game 3 loss "heartbreaking." But even in the immediate moments after Rose's buzzer-beating three-pointer, James was seen leaving the court with his head up.

"As leader of the team, I can't be down about anything," James said. "Even though it hurts me to lose last night; I hate losing. It was tough for me to sleep last night, but I'm not going to be shattered, not around these guys. They need my leadership now more than ever, more than anybody on our team. I will not show any weakness."

The coaching staff identified three areas of concern -- missed tackles, an inability to shed blocks and improper alignment -- from a year ago. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio - Jim O'Neil says he wants to prevent "explosive runs." His defense had a bad case of them a year ago.

Presented without context, it's a subject that could have a fifth-grade class convulsing in laughter. It's actually a serious matter, however, to the Browns defensive coordinator and one that occupied a good chunk of his off-season.

The Browns ranked last in defending against the rush a year ago in part because they surrendered too many big gains. O'Neil said 87 of the 500 run attempts by opponents carried for eight yards or greater.

The club dedicated ample off-season time rooting out the causes and invested precious resources in the draft and free agency to correct the problem.

"Mentality-wise, we want to be a bully on defense," O'Neil said Saturday at the second day of rookie camp. "To be a bully on defense, you have to stop the run. That's where it all starts for us. To win in the AFC North, you have to stop the run. To win games late in the season, you have to be able to stop the run. To win games in the playoffs, which is what our goal is, you have to be able to stop the run."

Opponents averaged 141.6 yards per game a season ago and their 500 attempts ranked second-most in the league. Such figures helped Browns foes sustain drives and stay out of predictable play calls.

It's why despite being so good against the pass, only four NFL defenses spent more time on the field than the Browns. The club was solid to stellar in five key metrics -- points allowed, turnovers, quarterback rating, red zone defense, third-down defense -- but the struggles to stop the run skewed the overall perception of the unit.

"It's hard to swallow," O'Neil said. "When teams can run the ball on you it's hard. That's what we told our guys."

So what led to all the explosive runs and 100-yard days for opposing backs? O'Neil said an off-season study identified three main culprits: Missed tackles, an inability to shed blocks and improper alignment.

"When you have running plays going for eight yards or more, it's not just on the D-line," O'Neil said. "It's on everybody at that point. Usually, there are three or four guys that are at fault. That's where we need to take a jump in Year 2."

In a division featuring a pair of the game's better young backs, Le'Veon Bell (Steelers) and Jeremy Hill (Bengals), resolving the issue is imperative. The Browns signed lineman Randy Starks in free agency and used the No. 12 pick on run stuffer Danny Shelton. They also traded back into the third round to add lineman Xavier Cooper.

The Browns are expecting a major contribution from the massive Shelton, who enjoyed an outstanding senior season at the University of Washington. They want the 6-foot-2, 339-pounder collapsing pockets on passing downs and occupying double teams whenever possible.

"As we like to say, you've got to keep your double teams to yourself," coach Mike Pettine said. "Don't let a double turn into one of the (offensive) linemen coming off and being able to block a guy coming from the second level. That's important just from when you look at the math of the run game. If you can have one guy and it takes them two, you usually have a chance to be plus-one at the point of attack."

Pettine said he plans to tweak the defensive scheme in an effort to better defend the run. He had similar issues two years ago in Buffalo when implementing it there.

The Browns will run the same defense for the first time in three years and the coaching staff hopes familiarity creates some improvement. In their four seasons together with the Jets, Pettine and O'Neil saw the defense finish lower than 13^th against the run only once.

"The scheme has proven success in this league when it comes to stopping the run," O'Neil said. "Stopping the run leads to a lot of things. It leads to more turnovers, more sacks because you're putting offenses in more predictable situations. It leads to less plays on the field, which leads to less injuries when you're not out there as much ...

"When we stop the run, now it allows us to be exotic with some of our pressure packages and get after a quarterback, but it's all built on stopping the run first. We have to earn the right to get after the quarterback."

Cleveland Browns beat writers Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed report on Day 2 of rookie minicamp. Plus videos with offensive coordinator John DeFilippo on the quarterbacks and defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil on stopping the run. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns beat writers Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed fill you in on what happened during Day 2 of rookie minicamp.

It was coordinator day after practice.

Offensive coordinator John DeFilippo shared his thoughts on quarterbacks Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel. 

Defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil discussed being better at stopping the run after ranking last last year in rushing yards given up per game.

Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor talked about the return game.

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The Indians starting rotation entered Saturday's game against the Twins at 9-14 with the second highest ERA in the American League at 5.44.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Things have gone so bad for the Indians' starting rotation in the first five weeks of the season that manager Terry Francona has recently been seen in the dugout wearing an ice pack on his right shoulder.

He's not doing it out sympathy. Francona was an outfielder and first baseman and he throws with his left arm, not his right. A couple of days ago one of the trainers was stretching Francona and something popped in his shoulder.

An ice pack, however, is the international sign of recovery/distress for pitchers and the Tribe's rotation definitely needs to recover from the distress it has caused. A supposed strength of the club headed into this season, the rotation is 9-14 with a 5.44 ERA in 28 games.

The Red Sox are the only AL team whose rotation has a higher ERA (5.56) and they just fired pitching coach Juan Nieves and hired Carl Willis, the Indians pitching coach at Class AAA Columbus, to replace him.

Corey Kluber is 0-5 with a 5.04 ERA. Last year's Cy Young winner has made seven starts and the Indians have lost all of them.

Kluber, according to Elias Sports Bureau, is only the second Cy Young winner to lose his first five decisions in the season after he won the award. Minnesota's Frank Viola, who won it in 1988, started the 1989 season 0-5 and was eventually traded to the Mets.

Viola finished the year at 13-17.

Lefty TJ House, who bailed the Indians out in the second half last season, is 0-4 with a 13.15 ERA. He's on the disabled list with a sore left shoulder.

Trevor Bauer won his first two starts. He was not won in four starts since, going 0-1 with a 5.64 ERA. For good measure, Bauer ate some bad pasta in Detroit and came down with a case of food poisoning.

Danny Salazar (3-1, 3.81) and Carlos Carrasco (4-2) have done fine, but Carrasco had a brush with disaster when he was hit in the chin by a Melky Cabrera line drive on April 14. Carrasco recovered quickly, but the rotation has not.

It lost depth in spring training with injuries to Gavin Floyd and Josh Tomlin. It's lost just about everything else since the start of the season.

The Indians have won consecutive games just once this season. It has been a team-wide failure, but the foundation of the club is pitching - the rotation and bullpen. The bullpen has been terribly inconsistent, but it all begins with the starting pitcher. The rotation has produced just 10 quality starts, never more than three in a row.

The baseball season is long and a team's fortune can change in a matter of days. But if something dramatic doesn't happen in the rotation, nothing much is going to change for the Indians this season.

The Indians are 3-16 when the opponent scores first.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Torii Hunter homered for the second straight game as part of three hits to help the Minnesota Twins defeat the Indians, 7-4, Saturday afternoon at Progressive Field. Hunter is 7-for-9 in the first two games of the series.

Here is a capsule look at the game after a DVR review of the Fox SportsTime Ohio telecast:

Ho-hum: The Indians (10-19 overall, 4-10 at home) have lost three in a row and are in last place in the AL Central.

They are 8.5 games behind first-place Kansas City (19-11). Let it marinate.

Sizzling: The third-place Twins (18-13) have won four in a row and nine of 10.

They lead the Indians by 7.0 games. Those who had the Twins leading the Indians by 7.0 games at the conclusion of play May 9 are lying or destined to visit a casino.

Too little, too late: The Tribe trailed, 7-0, through 5 1/2 innings. It scored one in the sixth and three in the seventh, and left the bases loaded in the seventh.

Immediate issue: The Indians are 3-16 when the opponent scores first.

Can't happen: Tribe pitchers allowed 16 hits, nine of which came in or after 0-2 or 1-2 counts.  

Swishalicious: Designated hitter Nick Swisher notched a career-high-tying four of the Tribe's 13 hits. He had three singles and one double.

Nothing doing: Left-hander Bruce Chen, promoted from Class AAA Columbus, made his Indians debut. It was forgettable.

Chen allowed six runs on 10 hits in four innings plus three batters. He walked one and struck out three.

Indians offenses over the years have struggled against soft-tossing lefties. This season, opponents have feasted on the Tribe's two soft-tossers -- Chen and T.J. House.

Chen's outing was down-up-down-up-down.

In the first inning, he gave up one run on three hits and threw 29 pitches.

In the second, he retired the side in order in six pitches.

In the third, he gave up three runs on five hits and threw 27 pitches.

In the fourth, he retired the side in order in 13 pitches.

In the fifth, he gave up an infield single and double and issued an intentional walk in a 13-pitch span.

Here is a pitch-by-pitch breakdown of Chen's start:

FIRST INNING

(R) Brian Dozier -- 80-mph called strike; 81 low; 80 inside; 79 called strike; 85 foul; 84 called strikeout (inside corner).

Skinny: Dozier hopped back but couldn't sell it.

(R) Torii Hunter -- 84 swinging strike; 85 outside; 81 high and outside; 82 inside; 81 foul; 84, homer to left.

Skinny: Batting-practice fastball -- middle of plate at belt. Eighth homer allowed by Indians in first inning this season. Hunter has hit 35 homers in his career against the Tribe, including 20 at Progressive Field.

(L) Joe Mauer -- 83 swinging strike; 81 foul; 73 down and away; 87 foul; 72, single to right.

Skinny: Hanger. As Fox SportsTime Ohio analyst Rick Manning said, Mauer wasn't trying to pull but Chen made it easy for him.

(R) Kurt Suzuki -- 81 inside; 84 called strike; 76 foul; 85, single up middle.

Skinny: Catcher Roberto Perez was set up inside but the pitch ended on outer third at thighs. Suzuki shot it under Chen's legs.

(R) Kennys Vargas -- 82 called strike; 82 inside; 76 outside (barely); 75, liner to center.

Skinny: Chen was fortunate that Vargas hit the ball where Bourn could get to it.

(Perez visits with Chen)

(R) Eduardo Escobar -- 76 called strike; 82 foul; 85 high; 72, fielder's choice 5-4.

(29 pitches)

SECOND INNING

(L) Eddie Rosario -- 81, grounder to first.

Skinny: Rosario was too eager and rolled over a pitch on outside corner.

(L) Jordan Schafer -- 83 called strike (inside corner); 73 inside; 81, grounder to short.

Skinny: Jose Ramirez moved in to field and threw low to Carlos Santana, who handled a long hop.

(R) Danny Santana -- 82 called strike; 73, grounder to short.

Skinny: Good depth to the breaking pitch.

(six pitches)

THIRD INNING

(R) Brian Dozier -- curve (almost certainly in low 70s), double to left.

Skinny: Hanger. Dozier sent it just under the yellow line.

(R) Torii Hunter -- 81 foul; 81 foul; 76 low and away; 76 low; 82 foul (inside; ripped left); 72 foul (ripped left); 81, single to right.

Skinny: Hunter went with a pitch on outer half and zipped it to right (Dozier to third).

(L) Joe Mauer -- 84 foul; 85 down and away; 81 swinging strike (outside corner); 84, swinging strikeout.

Skinny: Three-time AL batting champion Mauer swung through a "heater'' that was over the plate at the thighs.

(R) Kurt Suzuki -- 76 called strike; 82 outside (barely); 81 foul; 73 foul; 77, swinging strikeout.

Skinny: Suzuki swung at a changeup that was far outside.

(L) Kennys Vargas -- 87 swinging strike; 86 high; 76 outside; 76, single to left.

Skinny: Chen doubled up with the changeup, the second on the outside corner but at the belt.

(R) Eduardo Escobar -- 83 called strike; 85 called strike (Escobar thought it was high); 85, RBI infield single to short.

Skinny: Perez was set up inside; fastball ended on outer third, thereby giving Escobar swinging room. Location was poor for any count, let alone 0-2. Why Chen didn't opt for something off-speed, especially to a righty, is mystifying....Hunter scored from second after Ramirez stopped ball with a dive up the middle.

(L) Eddie Rosario -- 82 called strike; 86 swinging strike; 85, RBI single to left.

Skinny: Perez was set up; fastball ended on outer third, thereby giving Rosario swinging room. Why Chen, with an 0-2 count, opted for a second straight mid-80s fastball anywhere close to the plate is mystifying....Left fielder Michael Brantley's throw was cut and Escobar erased between second and third for third out.

(27 pitches)

FOURTH INNING

(L) Jordan Schafer -- 84 called strike (outside corner); 81 outside; 73 called strike (Rosario should have seen this pitch, a curve, at least once in the third-inning AB); 85 foul; 84, grounder to short (inside).

Skinny: Excellent play by Ramirez ranging up the middle.

(R) Danny Santana-- 85 high; 82 swinging strike; 86 foul; 82 outside; 73 outside; 85 foul; 85, fly to right.

(R) Brian Dozier -- 77, grounder to third.

Skinny: Quality play by Lonnie Chisenhall from behind bag. 

(13 pitches)

FIFTH INNING

(R) Torii Hunter -- 82 outside; 76 called strike; 83, infield single to third baseman*.

Skinny: The Indians finally retired Hunter -- until they didn't. *Chisenhall moved to his left, fielded and threw (far) wide of first. Yes, Chisenhall needed to cover ground to get to the ball, but the play should have been made. That an error was not charged seemed odd.

(L) Joe Mauer -- 84 outside;  84 outside (barely);  81 outside; 83 called strike; 81 foul; 85, double to left.

Skinny: Mauer went with a fastball on the outside corner and up.

(R) Kurt Suzuki -- ball, ball, ball, ball, intentional walk).

(13 pitches)

(Indians manager Terry Francona hooks Chen for Marc Rzepczynski.)

The Browns were hoping receiver Vince Mayle might be able to heal his broken right thumb without surgery, but that's not the case. He'll have it repaired after rookie camp and the Browns hope he'll be back in time for training camp. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns coach Mike Pettine revealed Saturday that fourth-round receiver Vince Mayle will undergo surgery after rookie camp on his broken right thumb.

"It should not be an issue in the fall,'' Pettine said after day two of rookie camp. "We wanted him to come out, just see how it was, test it. Found out real quick yesterday that there's still some lingering pain there. So, we're going to go ahead and get it corrected."

 Mayle, the only receiver among the Browns' 12 draft picks, injured the thumb during Senior Bowl week in January, but didn't realize it was fractured until he had X-rays at the NFL combine in late February.

The Browns knew about the injury when they drafted Mayle, but were hoping it would heal on its own.

"I don't know exactly what he did to treat it, whether they thought it could heal without surgery,'' Pettine said. "I know it bothered him some at the Combine. Like I said, we were going to just let him come out here and see how it was, and if he experienced any discomfort, then we would just go ahead and let him get through the camp, not throw to him. Then, let him go ahead and get it fixed right after. We expect him back full for training camp."

Mayle ran routes full-go on Friday and Saturday, but did not catch passes. On Saturday, he wore red caution jersey so quarterbacks knew not to throw it to him. But Pettine wasn't worried about further damage during the camp.

"He's getting surgery on it,'' Pettine said. "Anything he did today, we could more than likely fix it."

Mayle is expected to sit out Organized Team Activities and the Browns' mandatory minicamp in June, but be back at least in some capacity for training camp in late July or early August.

In the meantime, the Browns will have to count on their other new receivers, Brian Hartline and Dwayne Bowe, to upgrade the corps.   

Pettine on Dante Fowler's torn ACL: Pettine described the season-ending torn ACL by No. 3 overall pick Dante Fowler Friday as "tragic. We got to spend a little bit of time with him in the draft process, and he was one of our top five interviews. Awesome kid. We all compete against each other, but I'm sure everybody was feeling for him."

On Saturday, the Broncos also lost third-round tight end Jeff Heuerman for the season to a torn ACL during rookie camp.

Pettine said the Browns are trying to find a happy medium in rookie camp, where most players are not under contract. Some, such as No. 12 overall pick Danny Shelton, have signed injury protection waivers.

"We're as careful as we can be,'' Pettine said. "You don't want to go to the other extreme and you're really not getting anything done. We talked right from the beginning - not just in rookie camp, but anytime we take the field - we talk about being a good teammate and making sure we're staying off the ground. We're never striking a defenseless teammate. We don't like to grab and pull. There were some instances out here where we had to get after guys putting a teammate at risk.''

Rabbit out of a hat: Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor has high hopes this season for Travis Benjamin as a punt return. Last year, The Rabbit struggled coming off his torn ACL.

"I expect him to be great,'' he said.

He agreed with general manager Ray Farmer that Benjamin, who averaged 8.5 yards on his 15 returns, was slowed by his recovery.

"I think quite a bit,'' he said. "I said it last year, I've got a lot of respect for Travis Benjamin. I think he's a great football player. I'm excited for him to have the opportunity to play like Travis Benjamin in the return game. I've got great confidence that he can get that done. Do we still need to work on things? We do, but the good news is he's a willing participant and he wants to do that. That's why I'm so fired up about what he can do."

Tabor said Benjamin, who was part of a return game that finished 28th in the NFL, will be first man up to return punts this year.

"I'm excited for him,'' said Tabor. "I can't wait. Like I said, maybe my glass is just more half full. He still is the franchise leader for most returns in a game, longest punt return in a game. It's in there. I've got to do a better job of coaching him and getting it out."

As for kickoff returns, third-round pick Duke Johnson and Justin Gilbert are candidates. Defensive back Charles Gaines is another possibility.

"We're excited about Duke,'' said Tabor. "Obviously, his first couple years there at the University of Miami he was a great kick returner. We feel that he had that ability and he's developing as a punt returner. We're excited about, hopefully, what we can do with him."

The Browns were reluctant to add kick return chores to the struggling Gilbert's plate last year, but feel he's up for it in his second season.

"It's part of the maturation process,'' said Tabor. "It's early right now, but I'm very encouraged about where he's at."

Here's a quick look at the top early-season candidates for the AL MVP award.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Here's an early look at the MVP candidates in the American League. Stats are through Friday.

1. Nelson Cruz, Mariners: Cruz revived his career last season with Baltimore and he's kept the fire burning in the Great Northwest. He's leading the AL in homers and RBI and his .339 batting average makes him a Triple Crown threat.

2. Jacoby Ellsbury, Yankees: New York fans are seeing the real Ellsbury this year after a pedestrian 2014. He's leading the AL in batting average and tied for the league lead in runs and stolen bases.

3. Mike Trout, Angels: Trout won the MVP last year and finished second in the previous two years. After hitting .329 in April, his average has dropped to .290. He's tied for the AL lead in runs and fourth in homers.

4. Jose Altuve, Astros: Altuve is fun to watch. The 5-6 second baseman is third in the AL in average, tied for first in multi-hit games and steals and tied for fourth with Trout in total bases.

5. Miguel Cabrera, Tigers: If Cabrera played 162 games against the Indians; the MVP would already have his name on it. Cabrera is hitting .346 (fourth in the AL), but his homers (six) and RBI (21) are down. The two-time MVP does have a 1.020 OPS.

6. Mike Moustakas, Royals: The Moose is on the loose this season. After hitting .212 last year, Moustakas is hitting .327 with 12 multi-hit games, 21 runs and 37 hits. He's leading the AL with a .440 average on the road.

7. Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays: In his first year with the Jays, Donaldson is hitting .308 with seven homers and 19 RBI. He's tied for third in the AL in runs and has an OPS of .921.

8. Adam Jones, Orioles: He's earned MVP votes over the the last three seasons. Jones is hitting .359 and leads the AL with a .571 average against lefties.

9. Michael Brantley, Indians: Brantley finished third in the AL MVP voting last year and is coming on strong after being slowed by back problems in April. He's hitting .337 and .435 with runners in scoring position.

10. Josh Reddick, Athletics: Reddick played only 109 games last season, but he's started quickly this year. Reddick is hitting .345 with five homers and 22 RBI. He ranks third in the AL in on base percentage, sixth in slugging percentage and first with .478 average at home.

Others to consider: Prince Fielder, Lorenzo Cain, Mark Teixeira, Hanley Ramirez and Eric Hosmer.

Jeff Heuerman was a third-round pick of the Denver Broncos in this year's NFL Draft.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Jeff Heuerman looked like he landed in a perfect spot. Taken in the third round of this year's NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, Heuerman was going to line up with quarterback Peyton Manning, the kind of guy who can make a tight end's career.

But Heuerman won't get that shot. At least not this year.

The Broncos announced on Saturday that Heuerman suffered a torn ACL during a rookie camp practice on Saturday in Englewood, Colo. Heuerman is expected to miss the entire 2015 season.

"I feel terrible for Jeff and this is a very unfortunate situation," Broncos coach Gary Kubiak told the team website. "Jeff was going to be a big part of our team this year, and he's still going to be a big part of our team and organization in the future."

According to the team, Heuerman's injury was non-contact. He was running down the field during a special teams period, made a cut and his left knee gave out.

Heuerman was the a third-round pick in the draft, the No. 92 overall pick and the fourth tight end selected. He was the second Buckeye off the board behind receiver Devin Smith, who was selected in the second round by the New York Jets.

It's possible Heuerman slipped a bit in the draft due to injury concerns from his senior season.

"He's been limited a little bit by injuries, and so that has been a knock on him," CBSSports.com NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler told Northeast Ohio Media Group before the draft. "But just the whole package, he's strong, he knocks guys down at the point of attack, he's an athlete, he can separate against linebackers, be a mismatch. So the traits are there, which is why you can judge him as a potential future starter."

Heuerman suffered a foot injury in the spring before his senior season. Some lingering effects from the surgery hindered him in the beginning of the 2014 season, caused him to miss a game against Kent State, then sit out the entire bye week after that.

He then suffered an injured ankle in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama that hindered him in the National Championship against Oregon.

Still Heuerman, whom Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer called one his favorite players in his tenure at Ohio State, was a team captain and second-team All-Big Ten. Heuerman finished his career with 52 catches for 792 yards and seven touchdowns, and built a reputation as an elite blocking tight end.

It was thought he'd get more of a chance to show what he can do as a pass catcher in Denver. Now he'll have to work to get back on the field for 2016.

The Cleveland Gladiators come up short, falling to the Jacksonville Sharks, 46-43.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Jacksonville Jaguars scored three times in the third quarter then held off a furious rally to defeat the Cleveland Gladiators, 46-43, in an Arena Football League game Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

The loss drops the Gladiators to 4-3 on the season, while Jacksonville improves to 2-5.

Trailing 39-21 entering the final quarter, the Gladiators scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but two failed onside kicks kept them at bay.

One week after throwing eight touchdowns and being named AFL offensive player of the week, Cleveland quarterback Shane Austin completed 21 of 32 passes for 288 yards and six touchdowns, but a pair of turnovers proved costly.

Cleveland jumped ahead, 14-6, after one quarter as Austin completed touchdown passes of 13 yards to Dominick Goodman and 4 yards to Amarri Jackson.

Austin hit Collin Taylor with a 9-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and the Gladiators were ahead at the half, 21-19. Jacksonville missed two extra points in the half. The Gladiators were driving at the end of the half but Austin was intercepted.

The Sharks scored on the opening possession of the second half to take the lead, then came up with two turnovers, a fumble by Austin and an interception, and scored each time for a 39-21 lead entering the final period.

Taylor made a spectacular catch falling over the boards to complete a 24-yard TD on the first play of the fourth quarter to pull Cleveland to 39-28.

After the Gladiators defense stopped Jacksonville on downs, breaking up a pass in the end zone, Austin drove Cleveland to the end zone with four consecutive pass completions, the touchdown coming on a 29-yard strike to Jackson. Austin hit Dominick Goodman for the two-point conversion to make it 39-36.

The Gladiators then tried an onside kick that was recovered by the Sharks and survived a replay challenge by Cleveland. With two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties tacked on, Jacksonville started from the three and Derrick Ross scored his third touchdown of the game for a 46-36 lead with 5:43 remaining.

Austin hit three straight passes to get the Gladiators in the end zone again in 1:51, finding Jackson with a 21-yard toss for the TD to make it 46-43 with 2:45 to go.

But Jacksonville again recovered an onside attempt and ran out the clock.

Jackson finished with nine catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns for the Gladiators, while Goodman had seven for 78 yards and a touchdown.

Jacksonville's Tommy Grady completed 20 of 31 for 191 yards and four touchdowns and Ross carried 13 times for 51 yards and three TDs.

The Gladiators will play host to the New Orleans VooDoo on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Q.

See spring sports highlights from Saturday, May 9, 2015.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are spring sports highlights from Saturday's action based on box scores reported to the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

For more information on how to report box scores, please email High School Sports Manager Kristen Davis (kdavis@cleveland.com).

Wickliffe baseball wins two one-run games

Wickliffe's baseball team won a pair of close games as it beat Garfield Heights, 13-12, and then beat Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 10-9.

Against Garfield Heights, the Blue Devils overcame a 7-0 deficit by scoring the final seven runs, including the game winner in the eighth inning.

Wickliffe rallied from a 4-2 deficit with a five-run fifth inning and a three-run sixth. But the Blue Devils had to hold on from a late rally from the Vikings.

Wickliffe's Christian Martinitis went 3-for-4 with two RBI against Garfield Heights, and his teammate Phil Goth went 3-for-4 with three RBI in the Blue Devils' win against Villa Angela-St. Joseph.

Rachel Vickers hits walk-off for Nordonia softball

Rachel Vickers' walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh gave Nordonia's softball team a 5-4 win against Westlake.

Vickers' single scored Sydney Fox, who was the courtesy runner for Hannah Stroe, who was intentionally walked. Vickers finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and two doubles.

Madi Filakosky and Hannah Perrine each added an RBI for Nordonia.

Tyler Zaluski strikes out 12 for Chagrin Falls baseball

Tyler Zaluski struck out 12 Beachwood hitters to lead Chagrin Falls' baseball team to a 6-3 win in the first game of a doubleheader.

Zaluski also had two RBI for Chagrin Falls. Cam Orzen also had two RBI for the Tigers.

Chagrin Falls won the second game of the doubleheader, 6-2.

Medina boys, Gilmour girls win Miele Invitational

Medina's boys and Gilmour's girls track teams won titles at the Miele Invitational at Gilmour.

Helping to lead the way for the Bees' boys team was their 4x200-meter relay team of Delontaye Morrow, Cwinn Febus, Kyle Scherer and Jake Gargiulo, which set a meet record with a time of 1 minute, 29.14 seconds.

Hannah Markel had a big day for Gilmour with wins in the 1,600 (5:14.35), the 3,200 (11:54.55) and as a part of the 4x800 (9:47.28).

Check back on Monday for photos and a highlight video from the meet.

Follow along with baseball, softball postseasons

Saturday started postseason baseball and softball action in parts of Ohio.

Check out updated, interactive brackets for all districts in baseball and softball.

Get all the scores

Check out scores from the following sports this evening: baseball, softball.

Get updates throughout the UFC fight between Stipe Miocic and Mark Hunt.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Stipe Miocic looks to get back on the winning track, as the local star takes on Mark Hunt tonight on UFC Fight Pass.

Miocic is 12-2 in his career, and a win in this fight could help get the Eastlake North graduate in contention for a heavyweight championship fight.

Hunt also enters the fight off a loss, as he lost to Fabricio Werdum in a fight for the interim heavyweight belt on November 15, 2014.

Stay tuned throughout the night as we will have updates from the other fights as we move toward the main event. Join the conversation in the comments section below to talk about all of the action from Saturday night.

Nick Swisher goes 4-for-4, but Cleveland Indians lose 7-4 to the Twins on Saturday at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Manager Terry Francona was in no mood to hand out compliments Saturday after another dreary loss by the Indians.

Nick Swisher felt the same way even though he had his best game since rejoining the Indians on Tuesday in Kansas City.

Swisher went 4-for-4 as the Indians lost to the Twins, 7-4, at Progressive Field. The Indians have lost three straight and 10 of their last 14 games.

Asked about Swisher's day at the plate, Francona said, "He got a bunch of hits today. I like when he hits them all to left field. He flipped a nice little soft liner to center and then had a bad-hop single to third; so I don't want to get too crazy here."

It was the fifth four-hit game in Swisher's career and the first since Sept. 19, 2013 against Seattle. It raised his batting average to .316 (6-for-19).

When Swisher started against Kansas City on Tuesday, it was his first big league game since Aug. 9. He underwent surgery on both knees on Aug. 20 and opened the year on the disabled list.

"We lost. Who cares?" said Swisher, when asked about his four hits. "Yeah, I swung the bat great today, but we lost. I'd trade all of that for a win in a heartbeat."

The one thing the Indians have been doing a lot of this season is losing. Picked by many in spring training to contend and make the postseason, they're 4-10 at home and an embarrassing 6-16 in the AL Central Division.

"What has happened is not a lot of fun," said Francona, trying to explain the Indians 10-19 record, "but it's also not going to help us moving forward to feel sorry for ourselves. Everybody is hitting a lot. We're taking extra ground balls. We just have to carry it over and find some consistency during the games."

The Indians trail first-place Kansas City in the AL Central by 8 1/2 games. It's their biggest deficit of the season.

Swisher's first two hits were harmless singles. He started the seventh with a line-drive double to left off Phil Hughes (2-4, 5.11). It started a three-run rally, including a two-run pinch-hit homer by David Murphy, to cut Minnesota's lead to 7-4.

"We really showed a lot of heart late in the game," said Swisher. "It's hard to play from behind. But for us to at least get the tying run to the plate . . .that's something we can be proud of and build on."

The Indians were out-hit, 16-13, by the Twins. Jason Kipnis, who had three hits, opened the ninth with a single. Michael Brantley followed with a one-out single and Francona pinch-hit Ryan Raburn to face Glen Perkins, the Twins left-handed closer.

Raburn, hitting .415 (17-for-41) against lefties, had a chance to tie the game with a homer, but popped out to second to end it.

Francona was asked if Swisher's return would help the leadership in the clubhouse for the struggling Indians.

"I think our clubhouse is fine, to be honest with you," said Francona. "When you're getting beat up on the field, that doesn't mean there isn't leadership. It means we're getting outscored.

"Today there was a lot of frustration going on early and we fought back and made a game of it. We'd much rather have the lead, but I don't think we lack leadership in there."

Swisher, always enthusiastic, said part of his job is to provide leadership. But it sounds like he's trying to do it in a different way than before.

"I feel like I'm trying to do a better job of leading by example," he said. "It's rough losing. I think where we are right now, we've got a big run ahead of us."

That would be a good thing because to date the Indians have been running in the wrong direction.

Stipe Miocic picked up a dominating victory against Mark Hunt at UFC Fight Night 65 in Australia.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Despite losing his last fight against Junior Dos Santos, Stipe  Miocic (13-2) showed the UFC world that he is one of the top heavyweights in the class.

In Australia on Saturday night, Miocic once again showed his potential, as he dominated Mark Hunt (10-10-1) at UFC Fight Night 65, getting a fifth-round TKO victory.

Using his length and athleticism, Miocic was able to take control of this fight early in the first round, taking Hunt down twice.

In the third round, Miocic took Hunt to the ground, and started deliver vicious punches and elbows, nearly ending the fight there.

In the final round, Miocic once again took Hunt to the ground, and the referee called the fight with 2:11 remaining after Hunt absorbed multiple punches.

After the match, Miocic said it is not his call on what his next fight will be, but that it's time to celebrate with friends and family.

"It is up to the UFC with what they want to do with me next, but right now, I am looking forward to going out and hanging with my family," Miocic said. "I am going to spend a couple days in Australia with my friends and family, and then I will go back home and see what happens from there."

The loss to Dos Santos showed that Miocic has the potential to compete with any heavyweight in the UFC, but Saturday night was another huge state for the Eastlake North graduate.

It will be a while before Miocic's next fight is announced, but for anyone watching that fight, Miocic showed once again he is able to compete with anyone in the heavyweight class.

The Indians sit in the American League Central cellar with a 10-19 mark, the second-worst record in baseball, and are 4-10 at home.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Brandon Moss fouled off pitch after pitch. Finally, on the 10th pitch of his at-bat, he drew the fourth ball that permitted him to trot to first base.

That battle loaded the bases with two outs, but Lonnie Chisenhall slapped a soft fly ball to center field. The Indians' rally, a desperate, seventh-inning attempt at a comeback, fell short. They waited too late and needed too much. Again.

The Indians sealed another series loss after a 7-4 defeat at the hands of the Twins on Saturday. Minnesota totaled 16 hits and mounted a 7-0 lead before the Tribe's bats rose from their all-too-familiar slumber.

Bruce Chen, who tossed a bevy of off-speed pitches and a fastball that could qualify as such, exited early in his Indians debut. He surrendered six runs on 10 hits in four innings. Torii Hunter greeted him with a 382-foot blast into the left-field bleachers in the top of the first. Chen departed after he allowed the first three batters to reach in the fifth.

Hunter continued to haunt Tribe pitchers. He went 4-for-4 with a home run and a walk in Minnesota's 9-3 victory on Friday night. He reached base in his first four trips to the plate on Saturday. He singled in the third and the fifth and reached on an error by shortstop Jose Ramirez in the sixth.

The Indians brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but Moss struck out and Ryan Raburn popped out to end it.

What it means

The Indians will drop to 1-7-2 in their 10 series this season. Their only win came against Houston, one month ago, to start the season. Now, the Indians sit in the American League Central cellar with a 10-19 mark, the second-worst record in baseball. The Indians are 4-10 at home.

Smooth operator

Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to nine games with an RBI single in the sixth. He's hitting .400 (14-for-35) during the nine-game streak. Over his last 15 games, Brantley is batting .407 (24-for-59).

Swish's stick

Nick Swisher registered his first multi-hit game since returning to the lineup earlier in the week. He entered Saturday's affair with two hits in 15 at-bats. On Saturday, he matched a career high with four hits. He tallied a single in the second, a single in the fifth, a leadoff double in the Tribe's three-run seventh and a single in the eighth. Swisher last had four hits in a game on Sept. 19, 2013.

Chen music

The soft-tossing 37-year-old was officially added to the active roster on Saturday morning. The team designated reliever Anthony Swarzak for assignment to clear a spot. Chen's first pitch of the game clocked in at 80 mph. He finished the day with 88 pitches, 59 for strikes.

Murph's turf

David Murphy slugged a pinch-hit, two-run home run in the seventh. It marked his second pinch-hit homer of the season.

They came, they saw

An announced crowd of 16,199 watched at Progressive Field.

What's next

In Sunday's series finale, Cleveland right-hander Danny Salazar (3-1, 3.81 ERA) will oppose Minnesota righty Trevor May (2-2, 4.15 ERA). The Indians will attempt to avoid a sweep.

Here is what Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said after the Bulls 86-84 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

CHICAGO - Here is what Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said following his team's 86-84 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

Took on a feel like game was yours to lose. Did you feel like that? 

I don't think there's any stealing going on anywhere. They're not stealing from us, we're not stealing from them. It was hard fought. Sometimes you win games, sometimes you lose games.

Poor shooting, what was going on?

They're tough defensively. Get a look at the film, see what happened.

Difficulty was scoring, maybe the reason you lost?

We gotta finish better. It was sort of the nature the game. They were on us pretty good, we were on them pretty good. 

Talk about last sequence.

We had size on the ball. I thought Jimmy was right there, but he's a great player. He created space and got the shot off. That's what I saw.

Even though you had open looks, settled for jumpers? They had a substantial free throw edge over you.

I want to look at film. There were of shots in the paint we didn't finish. We've got to be able to get the call.
Any problem with Derrick Rose 3-pointer (possession before LeBron's shot)?

I think he put us back in position. In the 4th quarter we struggled. We had the lead in the 3rd quarter and he went to the bench. We had to fight like crazy to get back, give ourselves a chance at the end.
Seems like Noah having a really hard time scoring. More mental than physical?

Offense will come and go. I thought his rebounding has been good throughout. There's been some contact. He has to keep working to get his rhythm, but it will come around.

You gained momentum in 3rd quarter. In the 4th, do you feel like things turned at that point?

We both had 8-10-point leads, they had the run in the 4th. We tried to answer that. We had a hard time. Both teams are hard-fought, shots were challenged. I want to look at the film.

How do you think Niko Mirotic and Taj Gibson played without Pau Gasol?

It was different. Pau brings a lot to our team. We have more than enough. Whoever we have, just have to find a way.

Would you comment on J.R. Smith in the 4th quarter?

I want to take a look at those close outs. We have to close better to him. Can't allow him to get looks like he got.

On that last play, without a timeout, do you put two guys on LeBron James or is there too much going on?

He also has ability to tip. that's why we put size on him. He did a good job, we were in direct line with him. He broke to the corner and made a great play. That's what great players do.

Any update on Taj Gibson?

I haven't heard anything.

Having 2 games come down to last second shots, does that say anything about the evenness of both teams? Do you expect 7 game like this?

I thought we had a good handle on Game 1, they had a good handle on Game 2. The last two could have gone either way. They're a hard fought, a great team, we know we have to play well. It should be a hell of a series.

Philadelphia Phillies fan Mike Capko caught the souvenir off the bat of the Mets' Daniel Murphy with his left hand Sunday while sitting in the second deck behind home plate.

PHILADELPHIA -- A daring dad made the play of the day on Mother's Day at Citizens Bank Park, snagging a hard foul ball with his 7 1/2-month-old son strapped to his chest.

Philadelphia Phillies fan Mike Capko caught the souvenir off the bat of the Mets' Daniel Murphy with his left hand Sunday while sitting in the second deck behind home plate.

The 30-year-old Capko had son Kolton cradled in a baby carrier. Capko said it was the first foul ball he'd ever caught and that it was the infant's first game.

"It was a natural reaction," Capko said. "It was great, great."

Capko, from suburban Conshohocken, flexed his arms in a muscle pose after the grab as the crowd roared and wife Alyssa smiled.

"I was just pumped up, so excited," he said.

"I'm still shaking," she said.

The catch came in the fourth inning of Philadelphia's 7-4 loss to New York and in front of the owner's box. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. saw the whole thing.

"I was going to go down there and sign him. I almost did," Amaro said.

Capko said he's more of a soccer player who's "not a very good thrower." But he never thought to duck out of the way despite his son being right in the path of the ball.

"It happened so fast," he said.

When he arrived at his seats, Capko noticed the location and knew he'd have to be monitoring the game.

"I should probably pay attention to the game," he said.

Here is what LeBron James said after Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, an 86-84 win for the Cavaliers.

CHICAGO - Here is what Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James had to say Sunday following his team's 86-84 win against the Chicago Bulls in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Do you feel like you're carrying the team on your back?

That's what my team wants from me. I hate being this inefficient, but it's whatever my teammates want.

They had 7 point lead heading into the 4th quarter, then you put the defensive clamps on them

That's what wins ball games. We have to defend at a high level. We got some great looks but balls just didn't go in. You have to be able to lay your head on something and that's what won us the game.

Given nature of shot and trailing 2-1, can you measure importance of that shot vs. any you have taken in your career?

I've made big shots in the postseason. It was a huge one for our team. You don't want to go down 3-1 against anyone. We were able to regain home court. I don't like to let my teammates down. I did late in the 4th with charge, I tried to split the double. I had another one, drove left, Joakim Noah got the charge. I'm happy able to make a play at the end to get it back.

David Blatt tried to call a timeout when you were coming up the court before the last shot. Tyronn Lue stopped him. How important was that?

It's huge obviously. We didn't have any timeouts at that time. We call one we get a technical. That's why we're a unit, a team. Players make mistakes, coaches make mistakes. We have to be able to cover for one another. Lue did that by covering for Blatt.

Take us through last shot

I wanted to get a good look. I faked like I was going for lob, bounced to back corner and took a shot I was comfortable with and knocked it down. It's a huge win for our group. To come through in hostile environment was huge.

This shot vs. the one against Orlando in 2009

The circumstances we were in down 0-1 on home floor in Orlando. We couldn't go down 0-2 at home on our way to Orlando. This one, you don't wan to be down 3-1 in any series.

How's your foot? How bad did you think it was when it happened?

I rolled it pretty good. I think I stepped on Derrick Rose in transition. I'm not coming out. It was throbbing a bit, so I wanted to take my time, not only because I'm the leader of the team. I'm going to fight through it no matter what. I'm sure the training staff will be on me around the clock to make sure my wheel is feeling as good as possible.

Have you come to terms that efficiency might not be best way for you to win?

It's interesting that you ask me that. If I get one game where I shoot 50 percent, we might be able to do some things. I know some challenges present different ways of winning. My point guard is a little hobbled right now. Our other All-Star out, so there's more shot attempts. I want to be efficient, it's just not happening this series. I'm consistently trying to stay on the glass and make plays. I'm not liking the way I'm turning the ball over. I have to do whatever it takes. Hopefully my teammates will be happy with whatever I decide to do to help team win.

The fact the refs not only put time on clock, but also extra timeout helped?

To be honest, the play that was drawn up, I scratched it. I told Coach, 'Just give me the ball. We're going to overtime or I'm winning it for us.' I was supposed to take the ball out. I told coach, "There was no way I'm taking the ball out unless I can shoot it over the backboard and it goes in.' I told him 'Have somebody else take the ball out, give me the ball and everyone else get out the way.'

Hit big shots in the playoffs, what does it feel like?

It's something as a kid you play outdoor ball, count 5..4..3..2..1, you make the buzzer noise and everything. In the moment it's an unreal feeling. I can't really describe it to you. After that I wanted to greet my teammates. They greeted me a lot rougher than I wanted to greet them. It was for those guys and that's all that matters.

Say the refs didn't review that play, what would have play looked like?

We would have been prepared for our guys to get in the right position. I would have loved to take that shot at 0.8. I feel like I can get loose and get a good look no matter who's on me at that time. It allowed us to come together and figure out what we're going to run and what we weren't going to run.

Do you dread games coming down to the wire?

Fans and league office are having a great time with it. There's a lot of even basketball being played right now. You see it in Washington-Atlanta, Memphis-Golden State. The Clippers played well the other day, but you never know how it can go. Great basketball is what the playoffs are all about for teams to compete and give themselves chance to win. If I was a fan and not playing, I'd be extremely proud of how the league looks.

Kyrie Irving said in the locker room he asked do his teammates he's so hobbled 'Do you even want me out there?' What did you tell him? What has he given you?

The kid is a warrior with what he's going through. No one can relate. He's playing 40 minutes on one foot. His presence on floor, no matter if on one foot or not, his ability to make shots, command things on the floor goes a long way. It's not just about basketball what this kid is giving us right now. He's giving us all he got and that's all you can ask for.

Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt talks after his team won game 4 against the Chicago Bulls.

CHICAGO -- Here is what Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt had to say Sunday following his team's 86-84 win against the Chicago Bulls in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

How did the Cavaliers win the game without shooting well?

I wasn't shocked, but that speaks volumes to how we had to defend, and how well we did defend. Chicago is a good defensive team. I thought we had good looks that we normally hit, but we did not let it make us start playing bad defense.

Were you trying to call a timeout at the end of the game?

Yeah, I almost blew it. I am glad our guys caught it. We had called either two or three timeouts at the end of the game, and I am glad that our guys got me.

Was LeBron's shot the play you called at the end?

Yes. We wanted LeBron to catch it over his shoulder, and we were able to get it where we wanted to. Once he got it there, then he showed why he is a great player and he hit the shot.

LeBron James had an up-and-down game, do you just live and die with what he does?

LeBron takes responsibility for this team. He did not have his best game, but he was aggressive and took responsibility. At the end, he made the plays, and made sure he got the team the win.

 How big was J.R. Smith in helping the team comeback?

"He was huge for us tonight, there is no doubt about it. I told LeBron that he hit a huge shot, but we are not in that game with J.R. His shots may not have been as big as that, but was great for us in the fourth quarter.

After having a tough couple games, how big was Timofey Mozgov?

He was also very big for us. I have seen Timofey play in a bunch of big games, and that is a guy who is not afraid of playing big games. I know he is not a household names for some reasons, but I have seen him enough to know he loves playing in these type of games.

Did doubt ever creep in your mind when James missed seven straight shots in the third quarter?

Not really, it is not my place to ever lose confidence in the team. The same LeBron who missed those shots made two huge plays for us late in the third quarter. We were down 11 points if you remember, and he made two big plays to cut the deficit to seven points and start our run.

See what Derrick Rose said after the Chicago Bulls loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4.

CHICAGO -- Here is what Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose  had to say Sunday following his team's 86-84 loss to the Chicago Bulls in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

How hard is it to bounce back from a loss like this?

It isn't really that hard. LeBron is a terrific player who made a great shot. There is nothing we can do about it except put it behind us and move on to the next game. I love our mindset in the locker room. We have a lot of veterans on this team, and we understand that he made a great play, and it is time to focus on Game 5 now in Cleveland.

How big of loss was Pau Gasol?

Anytime you lose a player like Pau, it is devastating. However, I think the other guys came in for him and did a great job of stepping up and giving us a chance to get the win. Obviously, he is a great player who does so many things for this team, but we have a lot of guys on our team who are capable of making plays, and we are going to compete with whoever we have on the court.

There were times you pulled up on the jumper instead of attacking the basket, is this something you wished you would have done differently?

Anybody who has watched me play knows this is how I play. If I feel I have a good shot, I am going to take it. If I feel like I can get to the rim, then I am going to attack. I am a type of player who is looking at the defense and seeing what they are going to give me.

You guys had some opportunities to extend the lead out, and then you guys couldn't score the ball. Do you know what happened?

That is something that we are going to have to go watch on film and see what happened. When you are playing, you are focused on what you can do to score. Watching the film on this game will be a great way for us to see what we need to do to score the ball, and not have those stretches.

With Kyrie Irving hurting, do you see an opportunity to attack more if he is guarding you?

I am looking to make plays with whoever is guarding me. He is out there competing, and we just need to make sure to make him move around. They are a great defensive team, and they do a very good job of helping each other out. We just have to continue to move the ball, and make all of them work.

What do you to get your mind off this game?

It is already behind me. I can go hang out with my mother and family today, and just enjoy their presence. We will get back and watch the film and see what changes are needed, but right now, this game is behind me. That is really the only thing you can do. LeBron is a great player, and he made a great shot. We understand that Game 5 is going to be very tough, but we are going to be ready.

The Cavs had a total team effort on defense and rebounding, setting up LeBron James for the winning shot.

CHICAGO -- If you're a Cavaliers fan, you should be so proud of your team right now.

They did more than beat the Chicago Bulls, 86-84, to tie this best-of-seven series at 2-2 with Game 5 in Cleveland on Tuesday. They did more than deliver their own version of The Shot, this time by No. 23 in a Cavs uniform -- LeBron James.

Older fans can still see another No. 23 -- Michael Jordan in a Bulls uniform -- swishing a jumper over Craig Ehlo at the old Richfield Coliseum. The buzzer-beater of a heartbreak knocked the Cavs out of the 1989 playoffs.

This shot sucked the air out of 22,256 Bulls fans at United Center. The arena went so silent, you could hear a heart break.

And you could see the heart of these Cavs beating so strong.

This victory was a testimony to how the Cavs are playing with tremendous determination and dogged defense. The Bulls want to turn the game ugly. They want to push, to shove, hoping the other team backs off.

This was a physical, elbows-out, hold-your-ground type of game. But as Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said, "They were on us pretty good, and we were on them ... it was hard-fought."

Even more revealing, this is the second game in a row that ended with a shot at the buzzer -- Derrick Rose delivered the basketball dagger in Friday's Game 3.

DIGGING DEEP

The Cavaliers were behind by 11 points with 43 seconds left in the third quarter. They were shooting 2-of-19 in that period, and it looked nearly hopeless.

Kyrie Irving has a bad foot and some other injuries. He can barely jump. Iman Shumpert is very earth-bound because of a groin injury. They combined for 3-of-18 from the field.

But Irving kept dragging himself to the rim with the ball, coaxing the Bulls into fouling him. Then the All-Star guard stepped to the free throw line and was 8-of-8. Not easy when you are struggling to score ... when your foot hurts ... when you are frustrated because you can't play your normal game in the most important games of the season.

"He's playing with so much courage," said Blatt.

Then there's Timofey Mozgov, who delivered six points and five rebounds in the fourth quarter -- give him 15 points and nine rebounds for the game. How do you say "clutch" in Russian? Blatt coached the 7-footer when they were together on the Russian National team.

"I've seen Timo in a lot of big games," said Blatt. "He has no fear ... no fear of being on the big stage."

The Cavs won it because J.R. Smith fired away at the rim four times in the fourth quarter -- and made them all for 11 points! They won because Shumpert, Matthew Dellavedova and Irving took turns defending Bulls star Derrick Rose, and finally wore him down. Rose had 31 points, but shot only 2-of-7 in the final period.

The Cavs won because Dellavedova coolly delivered a nice inbounds pass to James, who bounced back from two offensive fouls in the final 92 seconds to make the game-winning shot. They won by shooting 39 percent ... because the Bulls shot 36 percent. That's defense.

The Cavs won it because they embraced Blatt's plea for better rebounding. In Friday's 99-96 loss, the Cavs were beaten on the boards, 54-39. Blatt said the team was too often out-hustled for loose balls and long rebounds.

This time, the Cavs had a 44-40 advantage on the boards. Guess who led the way? The same man who won the game. James had 14 rebounds.

A HUGE BREAK

The end of the game could have been a real mess for Blatt.

It began when Rose scored the tying basket. Blatt tried to call a timeout in the final seconds of the game -- a timeout the Cavaliers didn't have. Fortunately for Blatt, assistant coach Tyronn Lue and others quickly stepped in front of him. The officials didn't see it, or it would have been a technical foul.

"I almost blew it," admitted Blatt. "Good thing they caught it, my guys."

After a James drive ended with the ball out of bounds with Cavaliers possession, the original play had James as the inbounds man -- according to James -- but James changed it. Dellavedova threw the ball in. It makes no sense for James to be the passer with 1.5 seconds left.

Blatt really did have his team well-prepared, but he had some very rocky, rookie moments at the end. That can't happen again.

James talked about wanting "not to let his teammates down" as the real inspiration for making that last shot. Until then, James was 9-of-29 and knew he had to take one more shot to win this game.

Which he did.

Right on time ... for him, the coach and the Cavs.