In this battle, James scored 45 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Arenas had 44 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists!
In the final minute of regular time, the Cavaliers, playing at home, were still leading their opponents by 4 points.
Arenas was tightly guarded, but Caron Butler suddenly exploded!
Caron Butler first grabbed an offensive rebound from Jamison's missed mid-range shot and scored two points with a layup. Then, as James controlled the ball to run down the clock for the final possession, Butler stole the ball and immediately initiated a fast break with his teammate Antonio Daniels. Daniels passed back to Butler, who drove to the basket again for another score!
With four consecutive points from Caron Butler, the Wizards tied the game with 7 seconds left.
James, with the ball for the final 7 seconds, drove and pulled up for a mid-range jumper that missed. The game was dragged into overtime by the Wizards.
In overtime, the Cavaliers again gained a 3-point lead. It was Caron Butler who grabbed an offensive rebound and then, on a second-chance attempt, drew a foul from Drew Gooden.
Caron Butler made both free throws, narrowing the deficit to just 1 point.
Then, Arenas made his mark on the defensive end, stealing the ball from Larry Hughes and driving for a fast-break layup to give the Wizards a 1-point lead.
James drew a foul on a strong drive and made both free throws, tenaciously regaining the lead.
Arenas retaliated with the same tactic, drawing a foul on a strong drive and making both free throws to retake the lead.
With only 3.6 seconds left, the Cavaliers trailed by 1 point, and James faced the pressure of the final shot once more!
This time, James withstood the pressure. After receiving the ball, he used his powerful physique to force his way to a step inside the three-point line and, with Arenas switching to defend him, turned and shot!
The two-point shot went in, a game-winning buzzer-beater!
The Cavaliers' home arena erupted in joy. James spread his arms and reveled in the moment.
As the season progressed, James would mature further, and the Cavaliers would become increasingly stronger, making it increasingly difficult for Arenas to defeat James's Cavaliers…
Ultimately, the top four teams in the Eastern Conference all advanced smoothly.
In the semifinals, the young Cavaliers would challenge the defending champions, the Celtics, while the Pistons would face a tough showdown against the Heat.
In the Western Conference first round, the top-seeded Spurs faced the rebuilding Kings.
This was expected to be a one-sided affair, but Bibby, Artest, Bonzi Wells, Brad Miller, and Kevin Martin joined forces to give the Spurs a wake-up call!
In Game 3, the Kings had multiple players step up, with five players scoring in double figures, pushing the Spurs to a deciding final moment.
Popovich once again handed the control of the final minute to Ginobili.
However, Ginobili's first drive was blocked by Artest. Fortunately, Duncan grabbed the offensive rebound and passed the ball back to Ginobili.
On the second possession, Ginobili drove again, but this time he passed to Finley on the wing, who hit a three-pointer to give the Spurs a slim lead.
Then, the Kings committed a turnover, giving the Spurs a chance to extend their lead. But Ginobili's third drive resulted in a fatal turnover. Bibby stole the ball, and the Kings capitalized with a fast break. Bibby's quick pass found Kevin Martin, who sliced through the Spurs' defense and, in front of Duncan, made a reverse layup as time expired to win the game!
The Kings tied the series and gained significant momentum. In Game 4, they went on to defeat the Spurs by 20 points, leveling the series at 2-2.
This outcome shocked the league. Any fans betting on this series likely lost their shirts…