W Boston 86 Cleveland 100

[Karma]

VS

Boston Celtics (45-35) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (40-40)

Tuesday, April 19, 2005
7:00 pm ET
Celtics vs Cavaliers
TV: FxNE, FxOh
Radio: WKNR 1100

Head Coaches

Doc Rivers and Brendan Malone

Probable Starters

Gary Payton and Jeff McInnis

Tony Allen and Ira Newble

Paul Pierce and LeBron James

Antoine Walker and Drew Gooden

Raef LaFrentz and Zydrunas Ilgauskas

6th Man

Ricky Davis and Robert Traylor

Players to Watch

Paul Pierce and LeBron James

F.Y.I.

After Philidelphia defeated the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, it became a 2 way race for the final playoff spot between New Jersey and Cleveland. Both teams share a 40-40 record, although the Nets hold the tie over the the Cavaliers. New Jersey face Washington and Boston in their final games, whilst Cleveland travel to Toronto after the Celtic game.

Injury List

Boston Celtics
No injuries

Cleveland Cavaliers
Luke Jackson
Dajuan Wagner
Scott Williams

Karma's Keys

* The last home stand. Cleveland have in general been quite successful this season at the Gund Arena. With the playoffs still a slight possibility, you would expect for the fans sake to see all efforts to keep their plight alive.

* Boston have secured their first post-Bird division title, and a win tonight seals home court in the first round.

* The Celtics hold a very dangerous triple threat of Pierce, Walker and Davis. These guys are efficient at getting into the paint and getting to the line. They also fancy themselves from range where they are less effective. The Cavaliers would be wise to try and make them shoot over us, rather then the usual procession of easy layups or kickout open J's.

* LeBron has just been taking too many shots lately. He, though is largely blameless. Gooden and Ilgauskas have to really stand up and demand some ball. The talent is there, but the will not quite of late. Ira Newble has been doing his part to push this team, but he is limited which is why players of Z's and Drew's talent should be more prominent.

* Coach Malone really needs to stick to what works. He has a habit of going away with what is effective. If Varejao is handling Walker and Gooden and Traylor struggles, play him. Same goes for Snow when he lifts our defensive intensity in his short stints.

Final Thoughts

This obviously is a must win. We need to finish this season in winning fashion. We have the chance to finish with a winning record and place some pressure on New Jersey. Pressure can do funny things to players (Carter) at times. We obviously are not in the position we seen ourselves in not too long ago, so hopefully the Cavalier's do not add another "what might have been" to their ever growing list!

Cavalier's in a nail biter.

 

[Glen Infante]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

It's the last home game of the season, and it's also fan appreciation night. As a fan, it would be most appreciated if we all see a win here. Calling this game a must win is an understatement. I would call it a "We better win".

 

[E-Light]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

We lose on fan appreciation night, fans won't be very pleased. Let us pray for victory.

 

[cavincali]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

im scared of this game. if we lose were out of the playoffs, we got everything to lose. im probably going to be thinking of this game the whole day and not concentrate in my classes.

boston already has the division locked up so hopefully they will be taking the day off.

maybe the cavs will play as a scared team, with their backs to the wall. they dont have an option of losing, one more and were done. well see how they play when this game is the most important game of their career, excluding some veterans.

go cavs!!!

 

[Glen Infante]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

I have to admit, I'm a little frightened as well. Boston is a very good perimeter team. Pierce/Walker/RD/Payton/Banks/Raef can all hit that outside shot.

 

[King]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

The Cavs better come out with some good energy, so much is riding on this game. Boston has a lot of threats and we cant fall asleep on them and expect to stay in it. Im really nervous about this game. Im gonna be so depressed if we lose this one.

 

[Karma]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

We have to get down and dirty tonight. Scrap for loose balls, fight for boards at both ends, work through picks, help out on defense. In all, do things we have failed to do in general all season. Boston are more talented, but they can be weak mentally. If we frustrate them with offensive boards, good ball control and limit transition points, they may drift off mentally with ittle to play for.

 

[Deadlock]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

Bottom line is that the Cavs must come out to play or we can so good bye to our playoff hopes agian.

 

[Glen Infante]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

We definatly have the edge rebounding wise. With Raef and Antoine under the hoop, we can take a big advantage with Z's offensive rebounds.

The Drew/Antoine matchup is going to be an ugly one. As we all know, Drew stuggles against perimeter styled PF's. It would be nice to see AV getting some bulk minutes here, Brendan has been screwing around with him for whatever reasons.

 

[natedagg]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

the key to this game will probably be the third quarter... boston does have something to play for (homecourt in first round), but if we can go on a run in the third, we can (hopefully) take them out of the game, since their last game is a home game. This game is probably gonna be a war from start to finish though. These teams are developing a rivalry, and i know RD and company want nothing more than to knock us out of the playoffs. My prediction is that, if Bron Bron takes it to the whole with ferocity, we win; if he doesn't, then i don't think we have a chance. They will just run out on our missed shots. Just crossing my fingers like the rest of u!

 

[Fundamentals]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

Is Drew back to fully healthy? I know after the last game he said that his hip was still bothering him.

 

[Glen Infante]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

I'm guessing he will play through it. We need him and he knows that. If his hip does bother him, I guess we will see AV with big minutes after all. Tractor has been playing good, but he doesn't bring the same type of hustle as AV does. Why does he get so many minutes over AV is beyond me.

 

[BlueSeats626]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

Has Boston locked up home court advatange with the 3rd seed yet?

 

[LyXo]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

Has Boston locked up home court advatange with the 3rd seed yet?

Yes. They'll be playing for momentum. And we've had beef with them all year, so look for them to try to keep us out of the playoffs, out of spite.

 

[DDJ7777]

Re: Boston @ Cleveland

I think the Cavs can pull this game out. I really fear which team will come out in Quarters 1 and 3. We start off so incredibly slow that we have a tough time earning a lead in the first and (sometimes) keeping a lead in the 3rd. No way should we have lost last game and I sincerely hope that the Cavaliers of old come to play today in their house.