Playoff Live Thread: Cavs @ Celtics, Game 5 (#BestofThree)

I was tempted to make George Hill the poster child of this Live Thread… mainly because his number is “3” and because when he plays well, he brings out the best in the Cavs. However, since Mike covered G Hill’s effect on the Cavs in depth last week, I settled on a shot of the other crucially important matchup in this deadlocked Conference Finals. Kyle Korver is 16 years older than Jaylen Brown, but he’s been able to match the young Celtic’s energy and hustle over the last two games. Even though Brown wound up leading Boston in scoring (25 points) in Game 4, it took him an inefficient 23 shots to get there. Three of those were blocked by the craftily defensive Korver, who I always forget has good size at 6-7 (kind of like how Ty Lue forgets how old Kyle is).

Now that both teams have held serve at home, the series has effectively been shrunk to a “best of three” scenario… which you no doubt learned on Monday night when it was literally the most used quote by the President Genius Celtics hive mind in the post game pressers. Boston would presumably hold the advantage given that two of the three will be played in the always loud and annoying TD Garden… a place where they boast a 9-0 record in these playoffs. However, it’s never all that wise to bet against LeBron James winning at least one road game in a playoff series… in fact, outside of last year’s Finals, James has won a road playoff game in the other 32 previous series. He is unfortunately 0-3 on the road in Game 5s against the Celtics in his playoff career though, so he’ll look to change that tonight.

For the Cavs to put the first post season blemish on Boston’s home court record, their role players will have to exert even more of the hustle and intensity they put on display during the last two games in Cleveland. It will take more stifling defense, more teeth-rattling screens and more Kyle Korver blocks and floor burns. It will also probably take more threes from all of the Cavs’ gunners. They went just 8-23 from deep in Game 4, but still won by nine. A few more of those go in, and the game is likely not in doubt past the end of the third quarter. Korver went 2-5 from downtown and Brown wound up 2-6. Something tells me whoever can win that particular battle will make the difference tonight.

The rumblings are that President Stevens might switch things up in his starting contingency, and that he might go more defensive early with either Aaron Baynes or Marcus Smart (or both) to begin. Hard to say for sure, since Brad is keeping things close to the vest…

Brad Stevens says he doesn’t reveal lineups at media avail—as opposed to recent years, when he did—because he didn’t know he didn’t have to until before shortly before tip-off.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) May 23, 2018

Ty Lue, on the other hand, will likely stay with what’s been working the last few games with Tristan Thompson in the starting lineup along with LeBron, Kevin Love, George Hill and JR Smith. We’ll see if any adjustments made by the President will force more tinkering by Ty.

Sticking to my non-predictions of playoff games, but I will say that I believe the Cavs will win once in Boston… either tonight or Game 7.

Catch all the action starting at 8:30pm EST on ESPN… and, as always, chime in below with your thoughts…