Live Thread: Cavs @ Celtics, Game 4
2015-04-26
Game three between the Cavs and Celtics was an all out slug fest. There were tons of bizarre foul calls, lots of hands restricting players’ movements, and even some trash talk. If the Cavs win tonight, they will have a little extra rest before their next game. Their second round matchup is against whomever comes out of the Bucks, Bulls series. The Bucks beat the bulls with zero time left on the clock yesterday to force a game five.
The Celtics certainly are playing to win, but after watching their last game, I don’t think they will get the victory today. Brad Stevens had his team playing the most physical ball of any team in the playoffs on Thursday evening, and the Cavs still came out ahead, 103-95. Stevens even tried to “Touch-a-Thompson” in the first quarter of game three. Tristan Thompson made his free throws, and the tactic was abandoned.
The Cavs are winning these games, but they still have another level they can reach. LeBron James is still a little reserved on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor at times. He picks and chooses when he wants to explode into a passing lane or over power a guy in the post. Kyrie Irving has also seemed a little passive. In game three he scored just 13 points, but he seemed scared to head into the paint after the referees stopped calling fouls there. And, offensively, the Cavs are still relying a bit too much on Le-Iso possessions. In game three, the King scored or assisted on 12 of the final 19 points in the fourth quarter; however, he was dribbling the ball a lot and simply taking long twos instead of initiating offensive sets. He only turned the ball over twice though.
David Blatt would be smart to use this game as a practice for the next series. The Cavs need to move the ball and play lock defense to blow out the Celtics. The Cavs shouldn’t leave this one up to Le-Iso plays in the final minutes of action. A decisive TKO would be a great confidence boost heading into the second round.
I’m predicting the Cavs win tonight, 123-89. What are you thoughts?
just like that cavs have 16pt lead…must suck to be super physical and still go home with nothing…eff boston
Man, James Jones is not going to cut it if he has to play the 4 for any significant minutes. LBJ is going to have to go there with shump at the three. Glad we have Marion in our back pocket.
LBJ looks pissed. The fact he is showing no emotion out there and is not reacting to any calls or any blown calls tells me he is not happy with what is going on today.
Loved the way he just casually snagged that board…
Yeah. On the other hand, he plays brilliantly when he’s pissed.
Oh, I’d say this is the best version of LeBron. I don’t think OSUBucks was saying that as a negative. I hope LeBron speaks up post game. Only so much he can say but it’d be worth the fines. The league has to see this game for what it is.
Yep, wasn’t saying it as a negative but mainly just saying he is not happy the refs are so bad and have been both games in Boston allowing Boston to play the way they have been….i.e. dirty.
I want him to speak his mind post game. He won’t be wrong with anything he says.
He’s pissed that the refs have completely allowed the Celtics to stay semi close in the game when he should be riding the pine with the Cavs up 40…
If we’d been knocking down threes like normal we’d be up 40. Jones, Smith, and James are combined 3 of 20
…very true….
Ugh. I hate this celtics team. Just a bunch of dirty bench players
So dirty…It’s pathetic…
Look at Olynyk brick the open five footer
He knows he f’d up with that injury to Love. its been more in his head since it happened than ours.
Like a perp in a Poe story…
Shumpety Shump Shump…Shumpety Shump Shump…Look at Shumpy go…
Shumpety Shump Shump…Shumpety shump shump…Crushing the Celtics hope!!
…Sing to the tune of Frosty the Snowman…
Shumpy Old Man!! Where ya been at?
Hiding out…Really hoping Love is gonna be alright for the Bulls series…
Shump has been transcendent this game!
Did JR even make contact? Looks like he whiffed when he swung back – and he only did that because that punk Crowder was getting away with cheap play all series and was pushing on JR’s neck right before the swing.
Unlike Olynk who yanked at Love’s arm and both idiot announcers continue to say he was only trying to break free. I know Hubie is old but is he also blind now?
The only thing these announcers have called well is Shump’s value.
Mr. 3pt playoffs is 0 for 6 from three tonight. Nice.
And Blatt left him in. Why would you let in an struggling shooter when you have another one in your bench?
Go figure.
OMFG even Tirico’s description of the Love injury was a joke. Basically: Aw, look, they got tangled up.
Yeah, that was terrible.
just saw highlight of olynyk tearing loves shoulder apart haha how was that not a flagrant literally held onto his arm and shoulder forever haha
Wheres the matrix?
Wouldn’t mind seeing Haywood out there. Try going big. He’s the secret weapon.
Great call!
Haywood Perk Moz Thompson and Matrix. May as well just start throwing punches lineup.
just started watching mid 3rd quarter…not sure why james jones is on floor he hasn’t made shot and doing nothing defensively….celtics keeping this close but feel this is another one cavs will pull away
Because Love is injured and TT and Moz have 4 fouls each…
…………………………………………………..
How didn’t Olynyk get that foul called on him? SMH… all I can do is shake my head…
James Jones doing a great a job of being absolutely useless
James Jones has been pretty worthless today.
James Freaking Jones (and not in the good way…)
Just got on. This is the worst announced game I have ever heard. Actually, the sound of the tv is off. I can announce it to myself.
I think the refs are trying to make it so we just can’t put 5 players on the court. We will foul everyone out…
STFU Hubie! I used to like you but you are really annoying today.
Another non-existent foul…
Sullinger is the new big baby.
Hopefully the league doesn’t suspend Smith for our first game vs Bulls.
We will lose a lot of shooting without Love/Smith.
Time to go to the block with LBJ the old school way!
Refs lost control of this one early on. But the Celtics have made this series a scrum from game one, anyway.
It all started in game three. Celts were allowed to throw people around (especially Kyrie), so they turned it up a notch. Glad that Blatt is using Perk as the enforcer when the refs aren’t doing their job. I’m as angry right now as I was after the Mahorn screen that took out Mark Price. Effff the NBA.
This game can’t be over soon enough!
Mad max beyond thunderdome in the td garden.
Are you kidding me?! where are these fouls?! WHERE?!
I had to put the game on mute. This is just horrendous.
“F” these crappy refs!
Jones can’t hit anything today.
Surprised that wasn’t a foul on TT…
Marcus Smart was trying to give TT a piggy back ride.
I don’t know if I should even keep commenting. Its getting hard to remain positive about our postseason with what’s happened this game. The whole time I’m just terrified someone else will get hurt or ejected. Cavs getting screwed in our first trip back to the postseason…
@StuJackson32: .@nba in a pickle @KendrickPerkins should have been ejected on one tech for the push to face. Because he stays in game, may get suspended?
And yet he has nothing to say about Olynyk…
When a team has no talent, no hope, no chance, all that is left is playing dirty.
The refs and the announcers are letting them get away with it. Pathetic.
I thought Brad Stevens was a good guy and if this is how he teaches his team to play, he and his entire team can go…you know what.
Let’s hope that the Cavs have enough to close this one.
Blatt should give Lebron a couple minutes of rest.
This might not be a bad game to lose assuming Smith gets suspended.
Might as well use Matrix and Miller and run some sets.
Someone else is going to get injured. Okhnk is allowed to go over the back at will.
I thought Sully blew out his ass at the half? He was crying on the floor from what I recall.
They wheeled him off on Pierce’s magic wheelchair.
Hahaha great comment
Jerebko gets pushed?!! Are you kidding me? wowowow
All these refs seem to know how to call are jump balls…
I have also lost all respect for Hubie Brown. Sounds like a complete moron.
Yeah he is really pro celtics. It would be different if it wasn’t a national game. the games called by heinson were painful but this is one I should turn off the sound.
This is just absurd. So hard to watch. This isn’t even close to evenly officiated.
Absurd is the only word. I don’t know what else to say.
This game has been a travesty. And against the team with the worst sports fans in the world, without question.
BALL DON’T LIE!
These announcers are crap.
Olynyk climbed TT ‘s back on that.
These refs are awful. Just awful.
Olynyk with another over the back no call.
Worst officiated game I have ever seen.
And play calling. Both guys really want celtics to win. Didn’t tirico get excited about that scrum with smart ?
Since when can you just rail our players then call it a jump ball? This is absurd. Refs need to be better during the playoffs…
Refs working on getting someone hurt again.
How quick was that whistle on the jump ball… ridiculous!
Exactly. The Cavs need Love if they want to win it all.
JR will absolutely be suspended for at least one game. Should the Cavs lose this one on purpose?
An interesting thought. But there’s no way they back off today.
Wow. That is cowardice.
Smart play by Delly to get himself out of that one…
Perks and Kelly on the floor.
Never fear, Delly’s here!
Kelly gets ready to check in. Blatt sends Perk in. Kelly sits down.
When the largest earthquake in history is hitting, “Everybody down!” is not real useful advice.
Kelly saw Perks on the floor then left the scorers table and returned to the bench. Kelly really is a little girl.
I don’t understand how ESPN can allow their commentators to just fire at will against the Cavs.
They are relentless, this game hasn’t been called even CLOSE to evenly. We are basically listening to the local Boston broadcast…
Hubie Brown has been really bad with his analysis today.
Kyrie needs to stop jacking up threes…
Hubie needs to STFU right about now…