Playoff Live Thread: Celtics @ Cavs Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals
2018-05-21
The Cavs took care of business in Game 3. In a game where LeBron James and Kevin Love didn’t have to score 60+ points and still win handedly, did the Cavaliers find a new formula for sustained success the rest of the NBA Playoffs? Will the role players continue to show up? Does Ty Lue trust the lineups that don’t combine Jeff Green and Tristan Thompson for another game?
While many are expecting the Cavs to have found the switch, the Cavs are gonna Cavs so we really don’t know what to expect. Expect Brad Stevens to make some adjustments and the Celtics to perhaps not let Jaylen Brown get into early foul trouble.
LeBron and Co. will play in a much more competitive game tonight but the good guys will take it, tying up the series 2-2 and heading back to Boston.
115-108 Cavs.
A few thoughts on today’s game… First of all, crazy to think this might have been LeBron’s penultimate game as a Cavalier. I remember Game 5 in 2010 like it was yesterday (watched with two good friends at Happy Dog and was at least as despondent afterward). The announcers seem to think Bron was exceptionally tired, even going so far as to deride Doris Burke’s conversation with Allie Clifton as unnecessary because they thought it was so obvious. I don’t know, he looked regular tired to me. I guess you could say he had a bad game because he had… Read more »
In part their effectiveness inside I think was linked to their willingness to play Baynes, Horford, and Morris simultaneously multiple times. That is just a huge lineup and quite imposing. They basically forced the Cavs to make outside shots, which in this game they did not. 42% from the field, and just 9 of 34 from three. If we made our Playoffs average 34.3% on threes that would’ve been 3 more and a much closer game. Sometimes the shots just don’t fall. I thought the defense was decent on our end. Even Clarkson made some good plays (e.g. the offensive… Read more »
I have to give them credit – the Celtics are a very, very good team. Yes the Cavs had to figure out a lot late in the season after the new acquisitions, but Boston has figured out a lot after Irving went down. They defend extremely well and play hard every possession. For example, at the beginning of the game they would set a screen for a player on top of the arc and would set a screener underneath the original screener who would intercept the guy trying to go under the screen, leading to multiple open shots. A lot… Read more »
there is no chance in hell the celtics young guns win a game 7 in the conference finals. beating the bucks in 7 with home court is understandable in round 1. Put them against championship experience in a game 7 to get to the finals? It’s not happening people. As long as the cavs win game 6, they win the series, regardless of what happens in game 5. Lebron has a chance to reach his 8th straight nba finals and you think Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown are gonna stand in his way? no chance. I mean literally no chance.
Has LeBron looked gassed at any point in the past two games? He may ready to drop a max effort on the Celtics in game 5.
Then come home and Boobie, er, Korver for 3! in game 6.
It’s so frustrating that guys like Lue and Marc Jaskson have such prominent jobs in NBA, and a guy like Blatt got so much flack
How does WFNY get a press credential? You guys need to add a W to the name so WTCB can send someone in there
this is brilliant. “Nate Smith from WCTB, Tye, what goes through your head when you look at the tape and realize you left Jeff Green in the game for nearly 1 and 1/2 quarters straight? Are you embarrassed at all? also a follow up…Can you name the guy on your bench who shoots a better percentage from three, plays better defense, pushes the ball, consistently adds pace to the team’s offensive and defensive transition, and also can finish at the rim in transition better than Jeff Green?”
“Tye? Tye come back here my name is not Joe Vardon!”
https://twitter.com/DownWithDamon/status/998762622076968960?s=19
The Cavs better be sending some video to the league office
Am I the only person who gives a s*** about the rules? This isn’t ‘nam.
Cavs dominated the paint… dominated the boards.
Calling it now…. Cavs blowout game 5….. Only reason Boston was in this game because KLOVE and LBJ turned the ball over 13 times.
Doubtful. Boston will get a lot of home cooking.
Yeah, refs will allow Smart, Morris and Baynes to hit people on defense without call a foul. Smart mugs KLove with impunity yet called a foul on Love when he tried to extricate himself.
Celtics missed A LOT of open threes and layups. Don’t see that
Happening at home. I really don’t want it to, but it’s probably going seven. Stevens made much better adjustments tonight.
The play of the night in Phantom Cam:
TT 13 and 12 in 38 minutes…who the heck would have thought that after the first two rounds…
Cavs scored 116 and 111 points without playing particularly well in both games….think they are due next game…all pressure on Boston to preserve perfect home record…time for Lebron to close the door again and take it home to clinch on Friday….GO CAVS!!
Even steven.
Not thrilled with things after the 1st.
Still, Bron was masterful outside of the TOs (6) & lapses on D. TT & Nance were fantastic. Hill & Korver both very good. Pipe had a good start. Love kept battling despite foul trouble & poor shooting.
Green was awful. 5 boards though.
Really regret the Cavs collapsed in game two…that would have been such a massive win…
Huge Love fan but he needs to grow a pair in Game Five
He was still a plus player in the 4th
If we can be more physical than them in game 5, especially 3 through 5- we can take it
The refs have to allow it — in Boston most refs would have called LeBron for one or both of his late-game collisions with Smart’s face. In the Q, both were no-calls (rightly so, in my view).
No way on the first one. Smart literally stuck his mug into LeBron’s follow through. Agree on second but game was over.
If Smart is in Lebron’s vertical space, refs shouldn’t call an offensive foul for on Bron if he jumps straight up. The way Smart grabs his face after every collision with Bron is a calculated act to plant a seed of doubt a n the ref’s mind.
Usually don’t get calls directly underneath baskets after made shots on in-bounds. Too many bodies passing through, headed in opposite directions
Cedi clearly shouldn’t play…-2 for the game while jeff green was +5 /s
Heheh… Jaylen Brown needs a hard Perk screen for the BS bucket that led to that -2
And we’re tied at 2-2!!!! Awesome. Rough second half, did not play well, lead by Lebron lack of focus and Lue’ dumbass, but we are in control of the series
Eh the focus was there defensively.
Lebron’s? After first quarter he had insane number of defensive lapses
Well the Cavs will definitely need to win 4 straight to end it in 6. If this series goes seven the Celtics will win it IMO.
I dunno, I think the Celtics will feel ok about themselves going back to Boston after this second half.
I’m sure they will, and guys like Rozier and Smart hit every shot at home…Lebron is going to have to play like the GOAT to win that…
I agree. It’s going to be really difficult to beat those young guns at their gym.
Game 5 is gonna be nutz…
Great game. Celtics missed SO MANY LAYUPS. Cavs gonna have to be better next game. Love, Especially.
Yeesh 6th 40 point game this playoffs…if Kyrie were on Cavs that would be impossible, since he wouldn’t get enough shots…
Hill is our x factor. Double digits from him is huge
He was vital at the start of the 4th
Umm…
Cavs have expertly managed this game down the stretch.
Lullabye time! 2-2.
Dagger
Undaggered
Lol. They just decided to let LeBron shoot that.
Le-FU three
Kev Gets the Cavs another possession!
How many points do we give up on fast breaks off makes. Jeebus
That was a dumb foul, IMO.
So many fouls this game…
Hill! Great Drive!
Feels like Smart has 17 fouls no?
Bad pass from Lebron followed by a Smart flop…
Lol. Smart with another flop.
LBJ makes up for the dumb pass with a nice steal and finish!!!!
James with an absolutely ridiculous steal of the Morris save. Second time Cavs have scored off of morris saving it under his own basket, tonight.
Lucky play, but pretty huge…
Maybe three guys in the nba could’ve caught that…
Yeah, and any of the guys that could have are probably top ten guys in the league…
Just as LeBron intended lol.
Ok I’m pretty sure LeBron is a major investor in blood pressure medication
Thanks for the reminder!
LeBron in Smart’s face
There’s nothing I hate more than when they throw to Steve Javie. They could cut to runny dog s*** and I’d find it more palatable.
ANOTHER BS CALL….. Korver was there!!!!!!!
TT YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT FREAKING SHOT
TT driving from the top of the key… Lordy.
Come on KLove you got to finish those layups.
Damnit, TT. WTF are you doing.
Kev with two soft plays around the bucket cut s the Cavs’ Lead to 9.
Can we get one freaking call
How many damn shots can Love miss at the rim.. Geez
Seems like that’s at least a dozen tonight…
That’s a fair foul on Korver
LOCKDOWN DEFENSE!!
One of those nights for Love
Great D there. TT, Love, Korver, JR, Bron.
Damn Love.
LeBron just closed out like a mad man
TT is Horford’s daddy again…
Great D out of the timeout.