8:15. Pregame thoughts: I genuinely don't even have a guess what's going to happen in this game. The Celtics have been so bad on the road throughout the playoffs that the Cavs have to win, but the Cavs have been so bad at random intervals throughout the season. I know that role players tend to play better at home, so there's a small sense that the Cavaliers pull this one out, but it's hard to really trust that. I'm watching Corey Kluber strike out a bunch of dudes to calm my nerves.

I try not to overvalue sports in my life. If the Cavs lose, I don't let it ruin my day. If they win, I let it be fun. The Cavs' title was one of the most fun things that's ever happened in my life. I cried more that day than at my own wedding (which my wife occasionally reminds me of and is still not thrilled about). I have a lot of feelings about this game.

8:27. I wasn't kidding. I have a lot of feelings about this game, but if I write them all down I'll end up with 2,500 words before I actually start the diary. In a similar vein, I wrote a pregame essay for game seven of the 2016 Finals. This is a much different situation. The Cavs had an elimination game in round one, but it was game seven. This...this is very different.

8:41. About to tipoff. Mark Jackson is not a good announcer. Mike Breen is good. Jeff Van Gundy depends entirely on my mood.

8:41. What was that jump ball?

8:43. I will never feel comfortable about Kevin Love guarding a pick and roll. Ever. Unless I'm rooting for the team he's not on.

8:45. Aron Baynes started this game and Ty Lue didn't think it would be a good idea to play a smaller lineup and force Baynes to defend in space. Ty Lue is not someone I think highly of.

8:49. Kevin Love just got hit in the head. Last time he was concussed in the playoffs, the Cavs went on to win the title. I like those odds! (No. I am no serious) As he heads to the locker room, that probably means more Jeff Green - another thing that I'd be thrilled about if I were rooting for the Cavaliers' opponent.

8:53. Double-teaming Al Horford has worked one out of about five times thus far.

8:57. Horford had a post-up on George Hill and decided to spin baseline for a fadeaway. That was a bad idea, even if the double-team was coming. Spinning baseline was probably right, but then you have to out-size him. What nonsense. And then Hill beat Horford off the dribble on the other end. Cavs down 14-13 after missing a lot of early shots.

9:02. The Cavs are switching on things that aren't even screens. I don't get it.

9:04. Nice to see Korver hit a three, but Jaylen Brown is a monster right now. When did that happen? Dude has somewhere between 15 and 91 points. Celtics up 25-20 after the first quarter, and it doesn't feel like the Cavs are dead in the water, but it doesn't exactly feel like they're about to snap out of it and dominate the rest of the game. I don't feel great about this. 50/50 winning odds.

9:08. Jordan Clarkson's first possession. He was the only player who touched the ball. 0 points.

9:13. Another possession where Jordan Clarkson is the only player who touches the ball. 2 points, surprisingly.

9:15. Jeff Green hasn't taken a three-pointer and the team has looked really good because of it. He's actually pretty good in the post, and just dished to LeBron for a made deep-ball and the Cavs take a 34-33 lead. Also, Marcus Smart hit his first three shots and suddenly started jacking up awful-looking threes. He's a weird guy.

9:16. Is Jeff Green gonna play 40 minutes? (LeBron hasn't left the court yet)

9:18. Jeff Green is picking a really good game to make me feel wrong about saying he sucks. Cavs now lead 38-33 and Green has 7 points, a blocked shot, and is 3-3 on free throws. I hope he doesn't play 40 minutes, but hell, if we get Good Jeff Green Who Doesn't Shoot Three-Pointers, leave him out there for a bit. Kevin Love is still in the locker room so I think maybe he's donezo.

9:25. Where has this version of the second unit been in every road game this series? Nance looks excellent. LeBron is hitting shots from all over the court (he has 17), Korver is missing but he's getting open looks, so it's only a matter of time before those start falling, and Jordan Clarkson is making smart plays. Cavs on a 15-1 run right now. Winning odds now 75/25 in my mind. This feels like fool's gold.

9:28. Thank goodness the Goodyear Blimp is at this game. This indoor event.

9:32. Kyle Korver slapping balls away at the hoop is just fantastic. I don't know what else to say about it.

9:34. LeBron looks tired again. May have just called for a blow, then a TV timeout. He's tried a couple of bad turnaround jumpers in a row. I don't know why he's attacking Tatum - isn't Tatum a really solid defender? He's tall, long, and athletic. Why would you seek out that switch?

9:36. LeBron stays in after the timeout. Goes to shoot two freebies. Misses both. Ugh.

9:37. Just kidding. He just hit a three. Cavs up 14.

9:39. Halftime. LeBron has 25. Cavs lead 54-43. He is unbelievable. Terry Rozier can't seem to miss; otherwise, the Cavs would be up by 20+. Fun fact, he went to Shaker Heights High School. I live in Shaker Heights. But back to the game: Would've like to have seen a decent shot at the buzzer when you have 2.6 seconds to work with, but no luck. Jaylen Brown has 17, Rozier 13, and they're a combined 12-18 from the field. 

On the Cavs side, Tristan Thompson has 0 points, 3 rebounds. JR Smith is 1-3 shooting. George Hill has 6 points. But somehow, Jeff Green was enough of a spark on both sides to keep the Cavs alive. Larry Nance, Jr. has 4 points and 5 rebounds. LeBron, of course, has 25 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and only 1 turnover. He has played all 24 minutes and taken 18 field goals.

All of these things together and now my confidence in this 11 point lead is not letting me go higher than 70/30 on Cavs winning.

9:53. It's official. Kevin Love isn't coming back into this game. That's interesting. Still 70/30.

9:59. George Hill is about to score six points in the first 2:00 of the half. Who saw this coming? He's aggressive, getting fouled, and had a steal & layup. Again, where is this guy when the Cavs go to Boston?

10:01. Cedi Osman sighting! He helped Jeff Green up off the floor after a foul on a breakaway layup attempt. I'm counting that as one impact play for Cedi thus far.

10:05. How many times in his career has JR Smith missed a three-pointer that would've brought the house down? LeBron blocked a layup, then Tristan Thompson blocked the next attempt, and as the Cavs come down the court they get an open corner three for JR Smith. He missed it. Would've put the Cavs up 19 and flipped the odds to 90/10. But he missed it. 65-52 Cavs after a Tatum three-pointer.

10:14. George Hil is having a really good game, but so is Terry Rozier. Rozier has 20, but these guys are just going back and forth. Cavs up 15 again.

10:16. Jeff Green took and made a corner three. If that's not shocking to you, you haven't been watching the Cavs. I hate that shot so much, but it worked. Jeff Green has made just a fraction worse than one-third of his shots from the corner over the past three seasons. This was after 9:48 of the starters playing after half-time. Ty Lue is allergic to substitutions sometimes. I'm not sure this was a "bad" choice in this instance, but it's certainly odd to see how long he goes without subbing. Winning odds still 90/10, maybe 85-15, but the score is 80-65, Cavs on top. Green has 14.

10:22. LeBron takes a rest for the final 60 seconds of the 3rd quarter!

10:23. Third quarter over. Cavs 83, Celtics 73. Terry Rozier is having the game of his life. He's 5-8 from deep and keeping them in this game. It's aggravating.

10:30. Terry frickin' Rozier has 26 points.

10:33. LeBron James is down.

10:34. He got back up. Then he backed down Rozier and missed. Then Nance dunked it back. James will be OK. Just saw the replay. Nance fell into James's leg and it looked like it would definitely hurt. He's gonna get over it, but that has to hurt for a few minutes.

10:37. Cavs have slowed down, probably to help LeBron's knee, but it's kind of working. He's got 38, he's clearly in pain, and he just missed another bunny before putting it back in on the rebound. He's quite good at this game.

10:42. George Hill has 20. Just like we all predicted. Cavs offense has looked really stagnant, and JVG just suggested they go with Jeff Green. I don't know if he's serious or not because of, you know, his inability to shoot the basketball.

10:45. Cavs are looking very much in danger of blowing this game. It's 97-90, but the Cavs are being very sloppy on both ends.

10:49. Lots of knee-knocks tonight. I'm not a fan. Dudes are getting dinged up left and right here.

10:50. Jaylen Brown just did the Reggie Miller leg kick and that sucked. Drew the foul, shooting three now, and I'm not thrilled about it. It was a foul, but that was dumb. 

10:52. LeBron for three. This guy is amazing. Cavs by 10. Confidence level 95/5.

10:53. LeBron for three again. This guy is amazing. Cavs by 11. Both over strong defense by Tatum. I just...I don't even know what to say about this guy anymore. Just. How? Appreciate LeBron James. If the Cavs lose this series, or if something happens, or if he leaves in the off-season, or if he retires young...just appreciate him while you have the chance. He's beyond incredible. 100/0.

10:57. Refs reviewing a call and it's just giving the world another chance to talk about LeBron's 44 points (and counting) and how he's unstoppable. And how he's oldish. And how that doesn't seem to matter at all.

10:59. OK. It's over. LeBron has 46 and is checking out. He is the best basketball player I can imagine. 46 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists. 17-33 shooting. 5-7 on three-pointers. Three steals. Only three turnovers. Cavs win.

Cavs win, which is nice, and while it did take a Herculean effort from LeBron, it wasn't as if they needed every single play to pull this one out. A 10 point win is relatively comfortable. 

We now get the privilege of another LeBron James game seven. Boston has been outstanding at home, and they have a little time to prep. There are a lot of question marks, especially surrounding who is going to play (and who is going to play well) for the Cavs. Kevin Love will, at best, be questionable for Sunday's game. If he's out, what happens? Thompson and Nance can't play together, and Larry Nance was excellent in this game. Do they split minutes at center? Do they just play small ball and have Jeff Green play a ton of minutes? Jeff Green is one of the least consistent players in the NBA. Will Clarkson be a pest again, or will he Bogart possessions and submarine the Cavs again?

Questions galore. Sunday night brings answers. Confidence level? Oh boy. 60/40?

Go Cavs.