Boston Celtics defeat Cleveland Cavaliers in 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 7

Paul Pierce leads Celtics to victory with dominant performance

Pierce scores 41 points, grabs 11 rebounds, and dishes out 10 assists in Celtics' 76-72 win

In a thrilling Game 7 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 76-72 behind a dominant performance from Paul Pierce. Pierce led the Celtics in scoring with 41 points, adding 11 rebounds and 10 assists for a triple-double. The Celtics also got strong contributions from Ray Allen (18 points) and Kevin Garnett (16 points, 12 rebounds). LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 27 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome Pierce's heroics.

The Celtics took an early lead in the game and never looked back. They led by as many as 15 points in the second quarter, but the Cavaliers fought back to cut the lead to just three points at halftime. In the third quarter, the Celtics extended their lead back to 10 points, and they held on to win by four points in the end.

The Celtics' victory was a major upset, as the Cavaliers were the defending Eastern Conference champions and had the home-court advantage in the series. However, the Celtics were simply the better team on this night, and they deserved to win.