Cavs vs. Celtics - 2018 Eastern Conference Finals

[Cassity14]

The question for Boston hasn't changed: who can match up with LeBron? Tatum won't do much, and being matched up with LeBron should make his offense suffer at the other end. Considering he's their best offensive player, that's an issue for them.

I'm not scared of Rozier against Hill. Jalen Brown is a nice player, but he's not carrying their team over the Cavs either.

We know how Horford fairs against TT historically. He'll be their starting center, and I think he's a guy Love can do fine against offensively and defensively. If they try to play Baynes, Love will run him off the floor, IMO.

I just don't see any sort of big roster advantage for the Celtics, and they need one to beat LeBron. Stevens isn't allowed to go double team LBJ himself.

Now, next year? That will be a different story if Boston is healthy.

 

[Mdog1]

This series won't be as easy as Toronto, but it's not going more than 6 games either. Neither of these teams are ready for this moment against that man. Since there's a 99% chance it's Boston, LeBron is going to want to bury them.

I didn't think the Cavs would make the finals this season, but now it seems more likely than not. Crazy what a week can do.

 

[Mr. Orange]

celtics need to lose another game or 2, then close it out. i want nothign to do with the sixers. Cavs will beat the celtics in 5 at most. Sixers could actually challenge the cavs.

In an ideal world they go 6 or 7 and BOS wins. But I want to avoid Philly so I'll take BOS in 5. I'm already happy Stevens has two less days to game plan for us.

 

[shoes22]

In an ideal world they go 6 or 7 and BOS wins. But I want to avoid Philly so I'll take BOS in 5. I'm already happy Stevens has two less days to game plan for us.

@cavsfan1985 already laid this out, but the best-case scenario is Boston winning in 6. It optimizes our amount of rest while minimizing theirs, especially for those first two pivotal games in Boston.

 

[Funkmastabuck]

I want the Sixers to wear the Celtics down a bit, but I definitely would prefer the Celtics emerge from that series.

I really just like how we match up better against the Celtics. I'd rather not have to deal with Embiid.

 

[-Akronite-]

Ideally, Celtics become the first team to blow a 3-0 lead because fuck the whole city of Boston.

Who cares how we face them? We had no rest before or during the Raptors series and look how that turned out.

Cavs in 4, don't care who.

 

[Derek]

I think Embid is highly overrated. Simmons is legit.

Embiid overrated?

 

[brandonbpm]

I am a firm believer that the Cavs tanked some games last season in order to get the #2 to avoid Washington in the second round. Not because they couldn't beat them, but for rest purposes, it likely wouldn't have been a sweep vs Washington like it was vs Toronto.

I'm starting to think that at the end of this season they did the same, purposefully falling from 3 to 4 to have Boston take out Philadelphia and then scoop up the remains.

 

[ACisKING]

I am a firm believer that the Cavs tanked some games last season in order to get the #2 to avoid Washington in the second round. Not because they couldn't beat them, but for rest purposes, it likely wouldn't have been a sweep vs Washington like it was vs Toronto.

I'm starting to think that at the end of this season they did the same, purposefully falling from 3 to 4 to have Boston take out Philadelphia and then scoop up the remains.

I highly doubt all of the above.

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

I am a firm believer that the Cavs tanked some games last season in order to get the #2 to avoid Washington in the second round.

Hey Beal, tell the boss man you want to come play for the Land.

 

[Pioneer10]

Interesting tidbit from Lowe about what Indiana did defensively versus Raptors:

McMillan still tried. He rejiggered his entire defensive scheme to account for the Korver-Love ballet. He had his center, Myles Turner, defend JR Smith so that Indiana's quickest big man -- Thaddeus Young -- could chase Love. McMillan knew he was dropping Turner into unfamiliar waters.

"We decided we'd rather have Myles defend JR than have any kind of mismatch against the Love-Korver actions," McMillan says.

Dwane Casey, the Raptors coach, stuck with Jonas Valanciunas -- a traditional center -- on Love until Game 4 of Cleveland's sweep. He paid the price.

I'd expect the Celtics to try something similar.

Two things I expect to be a surprise though for the Celts when they try this:
This doesn't account for the fact with Hill in there Cavs are comfortable with yet another corner 3 hot shooter and a guy who can PnR from a different angle. Plus Love seemed to be in a funk with the thumb injury which he's over

 

[Pioneer10]

Celts will be interesting as their defense I expect will be similar to what GS will use: Switch everything as they play a bunch of guys from Horford on down who can guard multiple positions. Cavs have used Tristan's offensive rebounding to destroy Horford and this matchup so the Celts will have to figure out the rebounding otherwise it will be crucial to see which mismatches the Cavs can exploit (Smart switched on Love, Horford switched on Lebron/Hill)

Celts also had a hard time handling Lebron/Nance PnR as there small ball multi-position system doesn't have good rim protection (this allowed Clarkson to get a bunch of wide open 3's). Nance maybe hurt so that option may not be available

 

[cliffdawg]

Celts will be interesting as their defense I expect will be similar to what GS will use: Switch everything as they play a bunch of guys from Horford on down who can guard multiple positions. Cavs have used Tristan's offensive rebounding to destroy Horford and this matchup so the Celts will have to figure out the rebounding otherwise it will be crucial to see which mismatches the Cavs can exploit (Smart switched on Love, Horford switched on Lebron/Hill)

Celts also had a hard time handling Lebron/Nance PnR as there small ball multi-position system doesn't have good rim protection (this allowed Clarkson to get a bunch of wide open 3's). Nance maybe hurt so that option may not be available

If Nance is not hurt I wonder if Lue would go with Nance he’s a better matchup against Boston, Honestly the last two games I was not impressed with Tristan, It almost seems like when he gets Comfortable with playing time he reverts back to his version of this year Tristan

 

[K1rieIrving>AllOtherPG's]

If Nance is not hurt I wonder if Lue would go with Nance he’s a better matchup against Boston, Honestly the last two games I was not impressed with Tristan, It almost seems like when he gets Comfortable with playing time he reverts back to his version of this year Tristan

Yea he looked really bad the last two games especially on defense the Raptors were feasting on him, it was a layup line from the second he came in the game & he was the target.

I would love to see Nance get his minutes, he’s just a more impactful player and a better defender and rim protector, if Lue does decide to stick with Tristan than we need him to play with high energy and defend like he did in game 7 against the Pacers, he cant be out there lollygagging on the court.

 

[Cavatt]

If Nance is not hurt I wonder if Lue would go with Nance he’s a better matchup against Boston, Honestly the last two games I was not impressed with Tristan, It almost seems like when he gets Comfortable with playing time he reverts back to his version of this year Tristan

I mean partly the reason he did so well was that no one game planned for him. Once you know he is playing, he is not so much of a threat lol.