Cleveland’s quest for a first ever NBA title is off to a great start after a convincing 113-100 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference First Round clash on Sunday. The Cavaliers will look to stretch that 1-0 advantage even further when they take on the embattled Celtics in an all-important Game 2 showdown this coming Tuesday.
Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this much-anticipated matchup and while you are at it, you can check out our other Eastern Conference Game 2 previews in Atlanta vs. Brooklyn, Washington vs. Toronto and Chicago vs. Milwaukee.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game 2 Preview
Series Scores & Schedule
Game 1 — April 19, 3:00 PM ET, Boston Celtics 100 at Cleveland Cavaliers 113
Game 2 — April 21, 7:00 PM ET, Boston Celtics (+11) at Cleveland Cavaliers (-11); total: 207.5 – view all NBA lines
Game 3 — April 23, 7:00 PM ET, Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics
Game 4 — April 26, 1:00 PM ET, Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics
Game 5* — April 28, Time TBD, Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers
Game 6* — April 30, Time TBD, Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics
Game 7* — May 2, Time TBD, Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers
* If necessary
Betting on the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics may have had a rude awakening in their Game 1 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers but there were still plenty of positives for them to take heading into Game 2 this coming Tuesday. Chief among those was the excellent play of Isaiah Thomas who has been superb for the Celtics ever since his transfer from Phoenix.
[sc:NBA240banner ]In the 21 games he has played with the club thus far, he’s averaging a team-high 19 points per game. He’s also a key facilitator, dishing out 5.4 dimes per game for the Celtics this season. He displayed that all-around prowess in Game 1 against the Cavs, scoring 22 points and handing out 10 assists in 32 minutes of action.
Another positive for the Celtics was the outstanding support from their bench. The Celtics’ reserves scored a whopping 55 points as three bench players scored in double-figures. Apart from Thomas, Kelly Olynyk and Jae Crowder joined in the scoring parade off the bench as well, netting 12 and 10 points, respectively.
For the Celtics to have a chance in this series, they need their starters to pick up the scoring slack and contribute on the offensive end. Boston’s starters had a miserable shooting night on Sunday, going just 17-of-39 against the Cavaliers. Boston’s backcourt tandem of Avery Bradley and Evan Turner, in particular, had difficulty with their shooting strokes, combining for just 19 points on 7-of-22 shooting from the field.
That wouldn’t be enough against an offensive powerhouse like the Cavaliers. The Cavs finished the regular season as the second-highest scoring team in the Eastern Conference, averaging 103.1 PPG. The Celtics will need a balanced offensive attack if they are to keep up with Cleveland’s impressive firepower.
The Celtics are 7-3 SU and ATS in their last 10 road games.
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Betting on the Cleveland Cavaliers
What inexperience?
Postseason rookies Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love showed they are ready for the big stage, combining for 49 points in Cleveland’s dominant victory over the Celtics in Game 1. Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 30 points while Kevin Love had a solid double-double performance, scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.
Much of the attention, however, surrounded LeBron James who was playing in his first postseason game with Cleveland in five years. The four-time MVP didn’t disappoint, putting up 20 points, six rebounds and seven assists in another dazzling all-around showing.
It was a great start to the playoffs for Cleveland’s Big 3 who’s under tremendous pressure to deliver the Cavaliers’ first ever NBA crown this season. They combined for 69 of Cleveland’s 113 points, more than half the Cavs’ total output.
It has been that way all season for the Cavs with Love, Irving and James carrying the scoring cudgels for the squad. They were Cleveland’s top three scorers this past regular season with the trio averaging a combined 63.4 points per game.
With that being said, there’s still some room for improvement for the Cavs’ vaunted trio heading into Tuesday’s Game 2. They shot just 24 of 53 from the field in Game 1 and committed a total of seven turnovers. James, in particular, had a sloppy game, turning the ball over five times. They will need to do a much better job of protecting the basketball against a Celtics side that scored 14 points off the Cavs’ miscues in Game 1.
The Cavaliers are 9-1 SU and 4-6 ATS in their last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Cleveland (-11) wins, 112-97, to grab a 2-0 series edge.
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