The Cavaliers played without injured guard Daniel Gibson, one of their best outside shooters who helped close out the Detroit Pistons in last year’s conference finals. Gibson separated his left shoulder in Game 5.

But unlike in that loss, when they let the Celtics cut a 14-point deficit to three in the final few minutes before halftime, the Cavaliers closed the second period with a 17-2 flurry to open a 42-33 lead.

The Celtics set up a final shot in the closing seconds, but West made a steal, dribbled quickly into the frontcourt and sank a running 3-pointer at the horn, giving the Cavs their nine-point lead and huge momentum.

As is his custom before big games, James arrived three hours before the opening tip to get in some extra shooting in the arena’s fourth-floor practice gym.

James was confident the Cavaliers would be able to force a Game 7.

“I don’t feel desperate at all,” he said.

After speaking with reporters for a few minutes, James relaxed at his locker and unlaced three pairs of sneakers as he bobbed his head and rapped along with hip hop blaring through his headphones. However, he couldn’t find his rhythm on the floor early on.

James went 1-for-6 in the first quarter before he began driving to the basket, something Cavs fans wish he did more often. He drew fouls and scored nine of his 13 first-half points from the foul line.

Unable to explain the Celtics’ problems away from home, Rivers said he didn’t do anything radical to end Boston’s road slide.

“We didn’t hold a seance,” he said.

The Celtics will now conjure up some of the ghosts from their glorious past as they prepare for their second Game 7 in these playoffs.

“Fortunately, we don’t come back to Cleveland,” James Posey said. “All we have to do it go home and win.”

Notes: James will play on his second U.S. Olympic team this summer in Beijing. In preparation, the superstar said he has become better informed about China’s human rights issues so he can address them when asked. “Maybe I can shine some light on the situation and help people,” he said. “I’m not going on a podium or nothing like that.” ... Gibson said he injured his shoulder when he got his arm bent back reaching for a loose ball in Game 5. He said learning he couldn’t play in the rest of the series was “heartbreaking. If I could play with one hand, I would.” ... Kid Rock, Reverend Run from Run DMC and Peter Wolf of Boston’s J. Geils Band sat in the front row. They’re performing in the arena on Saturday night.

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