Isaac
Years ago

East Finals thread: Celtics vs Cavaliers

LeBron held to 15 points and -32 in the first game after running riot through Toronto. Boston win by 25 at home. This should be a great series!

Topic #43319 | Report this topic


MACDUB  
Years ago

Haven't really got into the playoffs in the past few years - because I feel that the pre-finals rounds are just a (waste of time) segway into an inevitable GSW title.

Bit more intrigued this year with the possibility that the Rockets could make the Finals (probably won't though).

I really think the NBA needs a curve-ball finals series this year - another GSW title will really hurt league interest;

I won't watch a Celtics-GSW final series - not a single second. Can't see it rating that well TV viewership wise (though GSW fanbase is so big worldwide so that might help). A CLE-GSW finals series would also rate bad this year. The NBA needs a HOU-CLE or HOU-BOS final series.

Reply #688556 | Report this post


Haz  
Years ago

Im annoyed Cleveland has managed to still get this far. And to a degree Boston too without Kyrie (and Haywood for the whole season).

Ive never liked or shown interest in Houston ever, but looks like ill have to go for them just so GS dont go all the way again.

Anybody else find dynasties quite boring afer a while? The same teams dominating? In a 30 team comp with superstars everywhere it really shouldnt be happening.

Hoping for a Houston-Boston final. At least it will have some old school appeal with these two rivals going back a long way.

Reply #688560 | Report this post


Jack Toft  
Years ago

This series should be brilliant. I was in Boston last year saw a game where LeBron owned the Celtics. Keep him under wraps and the Celtics should get through.

Reply #688561 | Report this post


Reality  
Years ago

Le Bron needs 4 games with a stat line 40/15/9 to win the 4 games required.

They simply don't have enough from anyone else on this roster.

Reply #688567 | Report this post


Cram  
Years ago

The Celtics just match up so well with Cleveland in that they have a lot of size and length to be able to switch anything and still get a good match up. Even at the pg, Smart feels like he can defend Bron well. And yeah without him going the rest of the team look poor.

It only emphasises how bad my Raptors were in the last round, and what an opportunity they squandered to make a finals.

I expect the Cavs to make adjustments and make this a series (they got blown out by Indy in round 1 and still came back well) but I think the Cs might still win the series.

I'm hoping the Rockets can get by the Warriors and definitely plan on watching all of these games. Harden has been my favourite player* (*non Aussie, non Raptors) since he came into the league and would love to see him win a championship. Should be a good series either way.

Reply #688573 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Cavs have the best player on the court so they are a chance, but man, short of LeBron having his best series yet these playoffs, I don't see it. On the plus side, Cavs can only shoot the ball better.

Reply #688578 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I'm with the general vibe in this thread - dynasties and superteams are boring, I'm already so over GSW. Cavs also bore me because it's a one man show and would get decimated in the Finals. Yeah, get rid of all your teammates with a few months to go and hope to win a title - yeah, right, okay.

Houston interest me as they are fresh. Boston also since they have a super coach who gets it done even without his star player. Too bad Kyrie is injured imagine how much better the Celtics would be with him. Oh and Hayward. :o

Reply #688581 | Report this post


MACDUB  
Years ago

"On the plus side, Cavs can only shoot the ball better."

Good point. Exactly why you no one should count out this Cavs team this series.

They shot 4-26 from 3 (15%) and 31-86 from the field (36%). Admittedly, I didn't see the game so I don't know if it was (a) genuinely missed shots or (b) great C's defence (I suppose we will find out during this series). But you'd expect that kind of shooting won't last.

For example, if Cleveland shoot the same shooting averages from last season against the Celtics today, they make up 27 points (and theoretically win by 2).

It's a "make shot" league - hence why GSW are so good.

Reply #688583 | Report this post


LoveBroker  
Years ago

Celtics fan here.

I have no problem with GSW winning it again like I had no problem with the CHI 2 x threepeats, HOU repeat or LAL threepeat.

The best team playing the best basketball deserves to win it.

I still think CLE will take the series, CLE are play-off tested, BOS not so much when we are relying on 1 x 3rd year player, 1 x 2nd and 1 x Rookie + Horford.

Reply #688597 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I think the Cavs remain favourites in this series, they showed against Indiana that it's a bad idea to count out the team that has Lebron. But it will be interesting to see whether the C's can make them regret their regular season lethargy and take it to game 7 at the Garden. Brad Stevens and home court vs Lebron in a game 7 is something I'd like to see.

I'm a Spurs fan so not really invested in who wins of the remaining playoff teams. But while there is a bit of boredom that goes with superteams and dynasties, I do enjoy the way Golden State play sometimes (the lazy flashy passes that end up in turnovers drive me nuts but I understand why Kerr puts up with them). I watch Houston and the Cavs and Harden and Lebron are just unfair, there's so little that defences can do against those guys. But GSW have found a way to involve everyone rather than relying on the model of a single creator, and the integration of their stars is something that I don't think we've ever seen before and I don't think we're likely to see much of in the future.

Reply #688737 | Report this post


Manu Fieldel  
Years ago

Boston is a fair bit better defensively now than they would be with Kyrie and Hayward healthy

Reply #688738 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Manu I think it's a fair call that they're better, but I don't know if the margin is as big as you think. Stevens is unbelievable at both scheming and getting buy-in, and Irving was a vastly improved defender in Boston than prior. We didn't get to see what Hayward looked like in Stevens' system, but he's been part of a league-best defence in Utah and while Gobert is the core of that, Hayward isn't a sieve. I think there are more minutes going to guys who are better defenders as a result of those two injuries, but the most straightforward replacements - Rozier for Irving and Tatum for Hayward - aren't clear-cut defensive upgrades.

Reply #688813 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

LeBron fired with 42/10/12 but the Celtics still came back and dismantled the Cavs. 94-107.

15 TOs to 5 might've been a difference as the percentages didn't especially favour Boston.

Reply #688882 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Real reason is Boston had nearly 7 players in double figures the cavs had 3...
Team ball v iso......

Reply #688891 | Report this post


Camel 31  
Years ago

How's those Celtics going...
" We're going all the way... We're red hot .....Denny Crane."

Reply #688914 | Report this post


UseTaHoop  
Years ago

Don't watch much NBA.

Were many of those turnovers caused by Cavs trying to force the ball to the big scorers? With more scoring options a team can make safer passes, force less shots etc.



Reply #688920 | Report this post




You need to be a registered user to post from this location. Register here.



Close ads
Little Streaks - The fun and interactive good-habits app designed especially for kids.
Serio: Tourism photography and videography

Advertise on Hoops to a very focused, local and sports-keen audience. Email for rates and options.

Recent Posts



.


An Australian basketball forum covering NBL, WNBL, ABL, Juniors plus NBA, WNBA, NZ, Europe, etc | Forum time is: 5:59 pm, Tue 19 Mar 2024 | Posts: 968,026 | Last 7 days: 754