Birthday Boy Marshall gives Cavs perfect playoff present

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Reuters) - Cleveland's Donyell Marshall came bearing gifts on his 34th birthday, sinking an array of three-pointers that helped put his team in the Eastern Conference finals on Friday.

Marshall scored 18 points -- all from beyond the arc -- as the Cavaliers beat the New Jersey Nets 88-72 to win their best-of-seven series 4-2. The Cavs will play Detroit for a place in the NBA finals.

"It was very rewarding," said the 6-foot-9 Marshall, who went 0-for-7 from the floor in Wednesday's 83-72 loss to the Nets.

"Actually, after the last game I just went home and laughed," the 13-year veteran of six different clubs told reporters.

"I actually think we felt more pressure playing at home, trying to give a victory to our fans.

"After that game, and with today being my birthday, LeBron (James) said he was going to get it done for me today."

James led the Cavaliers with 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, but Marshall proved a productive sidekick making 6-of-10 from three-point range.

"Donyell Marshall, I can't say enough about the man," said Cleveland coach Mike Brown. "He stepped up and hit big shot after big shot after big shot for us."

BEST FEELING

Marshall averaged seven points a game for Cleveland during the season.

"To actually go out there and be part of it and help close this series out, and never being this far in my career before, it's great, it's awesome," he said.

"It's probably the best feeling I've had in my 13-year career."

New Jersey fought back from a 15-point deficit at the half to make it 61-60 at the end of a third quarter that had James stuck on the bench for nearly seven minutes with four fouls.

James returned for the fourth quarter and Brown decided to leave Marshall and rookie guard Daniel Gibson on the floor.

The move paid off as Marshall drained a trio of three-pointers to match James' nine points in the quarter, and Gibson scored eight as the Cavs romped to victory.