RCF Recap: We have a series, folks

​

• Well, we have a series. They say a series doesn’t start until a team wins on the road, and the Cavs did just that.
• It was quite the way for JB Bickerstaff to earn his first playoff road win as well as the first time the Cavs scored 100+ points in a road playoff game but here we are.
• There’s not likely to be too many games where the Cavs hold the Celtics under 100 points and outshoot them from the perimeter, but it clearly made a difference. The Celtics haven’t scored less than 100 in a month, and 94 points was the second fewest they scored all year.
• It didn’t start out looking like an eventual Cavaliers 20+ win. The Celtics came out on a 9-2 run with Jayson Tatum getting to the line and Al Horford scoring points like it was 2016.
• The Cavs came out with a mindset of getting Evan Mobley involved early. They were attempting to get him post touches particularly switched onto Celtics guards. In one possession they did but Mobley passed out after Horford came over to help.
• Following that, Richard Jefferson said on the broadcast there’s a time to be selfish. Mobley is unselfish by nature, but the Cavs need him to be selfish especially around the rim.
• The Cetlics offense causes issues with how well they move the ball and how much of a threat they are from every level. The Cavs were a bit jumpy early on, not being clean in closeouts, which led to their defense scrambling.
• Following the Celtics run, the Cavs went on an 8-2 run. 4 points came off converting live rebound misses (two Celtic missed threes) and 2 points off of a Celtics turnover. The Cavs only had 4 first quarter fast break points but pushing off Celtics mistakes is key to generating easy offense and creating those important point swings.
• Georges Niang made his way back into the rotation subbing in for Isaac Okoro in the first quarter. Cavs were a +9 in his five first quarter minutes.
• Following that, thanks to good Caris LeVert, the Cavs went on a 11-0 run. It was all started by a heckuva Mobley pass and LeVert finish.
• An aggressive, decisive, and effective LeVert is a difference maker. He had 8 of the Cavs points during the 11-0 run. The other 3 was a Mobley spot-up three-pointer. When LeVert is on, it adds another dimension and helps boost the bench production.
• A lot was made in between games about the lack of Mobley’s offensive development and aggressiveness. He finished the first quarter with 11 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and a +6. He was the Cavs leading scorer and accounted for 19 of the Cavs 30 first quarter points. If the Cavs are going to be competitive in this series, it’s going to require consistent performances like these.

• The Cavs were making it a point to take it at the Celtics defense. The Cavs had 22 paint points compared to just 6 for the Celtics.
• Bickerstaff decided to go small to start the second quarter with Niang and Morris. After little production in the paint in the first quarter, the Celtics had 10 paint points right away. They attacked the Cavs small front line.
• Compounding the issue is Morris and Niang plus LeVert, Strus, and Garland. That lineup was a -11 in 4+ minutes. All other Cavs lineups for the first half was a +11.
• This gets to the issue of lineup construction and putting your players in a position to succeed. Niang with Morris was a -11, and Niang with Garland was a -7 in the first. half. Niang with Mobley was +9 and with Mitchell was a +9.
• The Cavs managed to withstand the Celtics run, and the rough second quarter bench minutes, by finishing the quarter on a 11-3 run to tie the score going into half time. Mobley, Okoro and Mitchell combined to score all of the Cavs points during their run.
• All eight of the Cavs that played in the second quarter scored.
• One of the differences in the first half was the Cavs guards gang rebounding and helping to clear defensive possessions. Garland had 5 defensive rebounds and Mitchell had 4. They limited the Celtics to 4 first half offensive rebounds compared to 7 in Game 1.
• For the half, the Cavs had a 23-17 rebounding advantage over the Celtics. Despite missing Jarrett Allen, the Celtics may miss Kristaps Porzingis more.
• Credit to LeVert as his 12 first half points helped carry the Cavs bench to a 16-8 advantage in the first half. The Celtics had a 24-15 bench advantage in Game 1.
• The Cavs were tied at half despite their starting backcourt having just 11 points. Mitchell was in playmaker mode (4 assists) and Garland was struggling to find his rhythm (3-10 FG).
• So, when the Cavs came out of halftime with an 8-3 run and a Mitchell and Garland three each off drop coverages, you had to feel good.

• Even better, the Cavs coming out strong was a nice change for once. Instead of giving back all the momentum they earned at the end of the first half, they built off it.
• Speaking of momentum, the Celtics were trying to take it back. Tatum and Brown got back-to-back and-one’s and it very well could have been the start of a Celtics run. But Garland and Mitchell answered with back-to-back triples to push the Cavs lead to 7.
• That response was part of a 10-2 run that forced a Celtics timeout and gave the Cavs a 9-point lead.
• Props to Okoro for always running the lanes off steals and misses and forcing the Cavs to look up off outlet passes. Okoro earns a bucket or two each game just off hustle and playing fundamental basketball. The pace Okoro plays with forces the rest of the Cavs to play with pace as well.

• Cavs got into a little bit of trouble with Mobley picking up two quick fouls on Luke Kornet. Richard Jefferson made the comment on the broadcast where Mobley must recognize his importance to the team and play smarter. This was especially true after Mobley’s fourth foul which was an overaggressive mistake to bite on a Kornet pump fake.
• Question for Bickerstaff: Why not give Thompson minutes when the Celtics go with Kornet? Thompson with your starters should be fine, and it also gives Mobley some rest and allows you to play Mobley with your second unit. Mobley with the second unit better balances your bench players (Niang, LeVert, and whomever else) and doesn’t risk the significant frontcourt drop off.
• We’ve also seen big, long, active bigs like Kornet and Wagner seem to give Mobley some trouble whereas Thompson’s experience, activity and boxing out on the boards can neutralize those types of bigs.
• The Cavs managed to push their lead to double digits, and 12 was their biggest lead of the game at that time.
• Mitchell was enjoying getting Sam Hauser on switches and eating that up. The same way the Celtics were hunting Mitchell and Garland on switches, should be the same way the Cavs hunt Pritchard and Hauser on switches when they have their second unit in.

• Regardless of who was out there, Mitchell was hunting. So much for play making mode in the first half, Mitchell was on a mission to score in the third quarter. He led the way with 16 third quarter points and knocked in four three-pointers.
• Update: Your starting backcourt had 25 points and accounted for 31 of the Cavs 36 points in the third quarter after just 11 first half points.
• The third quarter could have been worse for the Celtics had they not made up some points at the free-throw line. The Celtics did not have a three-point make and shot just 36.8% from the field.
• Mitchell continued in the fourth quarter in takeover mode. He came out with another seven points. He also got some help from Strus who finally knocked in a three-pointer.
• Bickerstaff learned from his Morris-Niang first half mishap and went with Mitchell-Garland-LeVert-Strus-Mobley. That lineup was a +15 in 6+ minutes.
• A second Strus three-pointer gave the Cavs their largest lead of the game at 19. There was 8+ minutes left at that point but the Cavs getting contributions from their role players and answering any Celtics push felt like a meaningful moment.

• The Caris LeVert experience continued in the fourth quarter like you would expect. Following a Pritchard miss, LeVert lack of court awareness led to a Pritchard second chance three. Then, LeVert came down on the other end and airballed a three. Never change Caris, never change.
• The Celtics tried to come with a little defensive wrinkle midway through the fourth quarter by late doubling Mitchell with the ball. Mitchell was able to make the right read out of it both times with once leading to a Strus corner three and the other leading to a LeVert mid-range shot. We’ll see if this is something Joel Mazzulla tries more of in Game 3.
• Celtic fans waived the white flag around the 5-minute mark and started to head for the exits. It was a 24-point game. Mazzulla quickly waived the white flag himself and put in the cleanup crew.
• This has been the most frustrating part about the Cavs all year. From game-to-game you could be getting any number of outcomes. But when the Cavs are on, they’re on and they can compete with anyone.
• Seeing how the Cavs responded, and seeing guys step up like Mobley and LeVert is what you want to see. If the Cavs can continue to get that type of production, then it’s a completely different series.
• Somehow the Cavs outshot the Celtics from long-range. They were the more efficient team (46.4% to 22.9%) despite shooting less three-pointers (28 to 35).
• Credit to the Cavs for limiting the Celtics to only 35 attempts. They had 46 in Game 1.
• I don’t think the Cavs will be able to win consistently beating the Celtics in a three-point shooting contest, but they did only make 14 three-pointers, and shot more like they did in the regular season. They won the battle but it’s not an aberration. If anything, it's getting back to the mean for the Cavs.
• Another turnaround? The Celtics were a +17 on the boards in Game 1. The Cavs were a +13 in Game 2.
• The Cavs lead for almost 29 minutes. They never trailed in the second half. That’s quite the stat for a game in Boston.
• Cavs starters were a +13 in almost 18 minutes. They had a 131.4 offensive rating, too.
• Chris Fedor intimated Dean Wade may be on his way back for Game 3. That would be huge. Getting another defender for Tatum and Brown and getting someone who can knock down threes is a game-changer. Not to mention, it may mean no more Niang or Morris minutes. Morris was a -14 in 15+ minutes in Game 2.
• We said it before the game but the Cavs have to decide if they want to let Tatum and Brown go off, or let the Celtics role players go off – they can’t have both. Tatum and Brown had a combined 44 points and a relatively efficient 14-34 shooting including 14-16 from the line. However, the Celtics role players were 5-21 from three-point range.
• Let Tatum and Brown get theirs, it’s hard to completely take that away. But if you can manage the ancillary scoring, it’s a whole different ballgame. White is their key player with Porzingis out and he put up 10 points on 1-8 from three-point range.
• Oh, it also helps when the series best player has as many second half points (23) as the entire Boston starting lineup in the second half.
• Up next: Saturday in Cleveland at 8:30 (ET)

BOX SCORE

#4 CAVALIERS at #1 CELTICS | FULL GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS | May 9, 2024

Never miss a moment with the latest news, trending stories and highlights to bring you closer to your favorite players and teams.Download now: https://link.n...

www.youtube.com