Kevin Garnett outshone LeBron James as the Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 76-72 in the opening game of their Eastern Conference semi-final series.
Garnett, who finished third behind Kobe Bryant in the MVP voting announced earlier in the day, scored a lay-up with 21.4 seconds remaining to lift the Celtics to victory.
Garnett scored 28 points for Boston, while James, who was just 2-of-18 from the field, missed a lay-up that would have tied the game with 8.5 seconds left. He also committed 10 turnovers and finished with just 12 points, with Zydrunas Ilgauskas leading Cleveland with 22.
The Celtics extended their 100 per cent home record during the post-season, winning their fourth game.
Boston led for most of the fourth quarter, but Daniel Gibson, a hero in last year's Eastern Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons, drilled a three-pointer from the right wing with two minutes 16 seconds remaining in the fourth to tie the game at 68-68.
Following a shot-clock violation by the Celtics, Ilgauskas then hit a straightaway jumper from just beyond the key to put Cleveland up 70-68 with 1:30 remaining but Garnett hit a jumper with 1:13 to go to forge another tie.
Led by James' only field goal of the first half, Cleveland came out and scored the game's first five points.
But the Celtics then put the defensive clamps on the Cavaliers, who following Ilgauskas' lay-up with 5:58 remaining in the first, missed their next 14 shots.
Meanwhile, after missing their first seven shots, the Celtics found their rhythm.
Led by Garnett's 12 points in the first quarter, the Celtics went on a 16-4 run to take a 16-9 lead on the reigning Defensive Player of the Year's mid-range jumper.
Boston held Cleveland to just four-of-19 shooting and held a 25-15 lead after the first.
Rajon Rondo scored seven of his 15 first-half points in the second quarter as the Celtics twice built their lead to 12.
But Cleveland used six points from former Celtic Wally Szczerbiak and six steals to cut into the lead and trailed only 41-37 at the half.
Boston scored the first four points of the third quarter but then struggled, and it was the sharp-shooting Ilgauskas who led the charge back for Cleveland.
He hit two free throws late in the third to give the Cavaliers their first lead since early in the first.
His 18-footer from the left wing put Cleveland ahead 48-45, Szczerbiak hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to six before Kendrick Perkins converted one-of-two free throws with 4:23 remaining in the third to end Cleveland's 14-0 run.
Both teams struggled mightily in the third offensively.
Boston made just five-of-17 attempts, while Cleveland missed 11-of-15 in the period.
Sam Cassell's two free throws gave Boston the lead heading into the fourth 53-52.
Paul Pierce scored just four points and Ray Allen did not score for the first time in 11 years for Boston, who won despite shooting just 43 per cent (29-of-68) and committing 21 turnovers.
Boston will look to continue their success in game two on Friday.