Playoff Live Thread (Game 3): Cavs vs Celtics
2024-05-11Happy Saturday, Cavs fans. After an unexpected throttling of the Boston Celtics, Thursday, the Cavaliers return to the banks of Lake Erie to host the Boston Celtics in front of what promises to be a raucus crowd. After breakout games from Evan Mobley (21/10/5 and three stocks) and Caris LeVert (21/6/3) which centered around relentlessly attacking the rim, the Cavs have found a weakness in the Boston D. The wine and gold also got out on the Celtics shooters. As Tim Bontemps of ESPN noted. (Thanks for pulling the quote, Sweetchi.)
Boston was just 8-for-35 from 3-point range — though Second Spectrum tracking data showed that 77.1% of those triples were heavily contested shots, the highest percentage in any game the Celtics have played with Joe Mazzulla as coach over the past two seasons.
Expect a lot more screening to open up Boston shooters and to force mismatches on Cavalier switches.
As far as the injury watch goes, the word as of 7:30 is maybe Wade, but Allen less likely. TY Jerome and Craig Porter Junior are out.
Expect Dean Wade to get a huge ovation if he checks in, and given Mobley a success starting at the five, Wade getting some minutes as a quality four might be even more important for Cleveland. For Boston, only the Zinger remains out.
Cleveland has to keep doing what they’re doing, keep the turnovers now (just 10 in game 2!), set screens, and run the offense. Boston is going to try to do what Denver did last night: turn the tables on the home team in their own building. So just don’t get lazy and bored with success. Go Cavs.
Donovan is showing up as that guy for the Cavs.. Mobley a close 2nd in the playoffs..
Players to record 180+ points, 20+ 3PM on 50+ FG% over a 5-game span in the playoffs:
🔹Donovan Mitchell (2020)
🔹Donovan Mitchell (2024)
That’s the list 🤯
He’s a generational talent and I’m happy to have him here. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Donovan Mitchell in his last 5 games:
36.8 PPG
6.4 RPG
5.0 APG
4.2 3PG
63.3 TS%
Mitchell, Mobley, & LeVert were all pretty good or better offensively. DG, Strus, and Okoro needed to contribute more. Wade was first game back, I expected some rust.
The D played well enough to win. The O did not. We did take care of the ball well. We lost the glass pretty badly.
You can’t have these multiple 20 point quarters and expect to win. They didn’t play awful as a team and would probably beat half the league with that type of effort but not the better teams.
Yes–but the Celts are a 60-win team. DM is not MJ. They need guys to step up. DG has to toast White. I thought he played better defense than offense tonight. How many blown layups can a dude of his magnitude have?
I want to be clear: plenty of offense was left on the table, but if he is clicking, the whole floor opens. Example: how many lobs has Mobley had? Okoro and Strus really hurt tonight as well.
I think, unfortunately, right now White > Garland. DM is not MJ but he doesn’t need to be, because he’s already great and doing enough in this series to help the team win. If Garland and Mobley were living up to expectation we probably wins this game, and maybe Strus and Okoro lossen up and play better, but they’re too young, and maybe not as good as we anticipated, which is unfortunate. I have more hope for Mobley, but not sure either are superstars. I’m probably being overly critical too.
You missed nothing. That is pretty much the synopsis. Staring holes through DG right now. Dude has got to become the second weapon offensively. Hate to be crass, but that is what his money says.
I think DG will get better. He was better last year. I don’t know what’s happening with him personally, but it seems like it’s caused this regression. I’m not sure that he will ever be more than a fringe all-star?
A fringe All star is Mike Conley, who had huge $ and contributed to a lot of winning teams (and IIRC was a third overall pick). That’s an OK career
Nothing wrong with it, but he’s a borderline starter this year.
Yeah the whole point of trading for Donovan was, “we’re adding him to our All-star PG.” Not, “we’ll add Donovan and then DG becomes just a guy.”
Boston shot 51% from the field. Defense needs to be better than that. It’s the playoffs — need much more from DG, Max, Ice, and bit more from Caris. Any (modest) contribution from TT or MM? Offense needs to run MUCH faster. But if Boston’s support players rise up and Cavs’ don’t then we know the outcome. Again DM and EM were solid, and Wade sufficient given circumstances, but the rest…
One thing that is fair to say at this point after 10 postseason games – the offseason moves provided regular season value but haven’t helped a lot in the playoffs. Niang has been useless; Strus had a couple critically big third quarters in two of the wins against Orlando, that’s something but less than one might have expected given how he was playing in the first half of the season.
I will continue to say the $35 mil for DG, $20 for LeVert, and over $20 for Strus & Niang is almost $80 mil we could get more from.
They’re bench players getting starter minutes. Although it looks like Niang is in the doghouse.
I think “dog house” is unfair. He is really the eleventh guy on a playoff roster. Wade bumps him, and rightfully so. It hurts to watch him. I mean no disrespect–how could he be expected to guard Tatum, Brown…or any Celtic not named Houser?
Throughout the season and early in the playoffs he had start type minutes, until the wheels fell off the minivan. He was a career 40 percent 3-point shooter until he arrived in Cleveland.
Arch, did he look this out of shape in Philly? He cannot move. How could an NBA player not have access to a trainer and a chef?
Yes, he did, but none of that matters if he’s draining 3s.
He is who he is,trouble starts when he’s put in s place where expectations are raised.Hes a 10 minute per game ,”come in and hit some threes or get out” guy.
That is fair–but where is that money going? It has to be an actual person. Did the Cavs not offer it to someone? I know Hart is the easy answer…
Bostons payroll dwarfs ours IIRC.
Cavs in the restricted area: 54.5 % (18-33)
Boston in the restricted area: 81.5 % (22-27)
They had an easy lane to the rim and since Mobley ended up being on the perimeter, they finished at the rim with ease.
One of the good things is that we only turned the ball over 8 times.. and 6 in the 1st quarter, so really cleaned that up.
Not like it’s such a Big Thing, but Cavs can’t be playing Merrill this much if he’s not going to get shots. He doesn’t bring a lot else.
…
We were +6 with him on the floor. Wade +12. LeVert -1.
Other end of spectrum: DG and Okoro -17, Mobley -16, Strus -14
I am an Okoro fan, but the eye test says he was neg 17. Mobley needs to be in double digit rebounds without Allen. Was he?
Strus continues to be an enigma for me. Was he this hot and cold in Miami? He spends so much time complaining about fouls and jacking threes with unset feet…
Celtics made a TON of tough shots tonight. We didn’t other than DM. This was still right there other than the 14-0 run to start Q3
Team shot 24 of 62 other than DM. 38.7%. Gross.
Also remove EM 7 of 11 and remaining guys were 17 of 51 for 33.3%. Okoro, Strus, and Garland just killed us tonight. Need so much more from them.
Waiving the white flag
Celtics are the better team. Not really upset with the loss. Just wished we had more help for Mitchell.
Mitchell almost has to refuse to shoot in the first, bc when he is tired in the fourth he’s not bad exactly but he gets Kobe vision and rushes a little bit.
Lol Garland.
Oof.
We just don’t have the personel
I don’t believe that.
They’ve got a better bench and 2 of the 3 best players. The coaches are a toss up 😂
I mean if Caris and DG had come to play in the first half instead of waiting until Q3 to wake up, it was winnable.
They did not play well. They can play much better than this. They’re gonna be pissed when they see how many opportunities they passed up and missed shots.
Strus with a turd of a game.
This game is over!
Strus has Been beyond embarrassed on both sides of the floor.
Strus getting owned tonight
Celtics are very vulnerable without porzingis.
Can someone get hot for once?
Garland has to shoot when Horford is 8 feet behind the p/r switch. Passed up a good shot.
Cavs are going to watch this tape tomorrow and realize how many open layups or fouls they gave up by not attacking Al horford.
Definition of the night. You have Al Horford cooked on a drive to the lane and you stop then dish. Attack the hoop bozos
Gotta get stops.
Hard to be mad at Mitchell but that shot was beyond forced.
He also got fouled on the loose ball.
Really need stops!
Garland!
Did JA puncture a lung and they’re not telling us. Seems weird to be out 2 weeks with a bruised rib unless he can’t breath because his lung is weak
Well I’ve heard it described as a “pierced” rib. That sounds a lot like a “cracked” rib, and that would explain why he’s out so long.
Where is Dean Wade.
Heaven
Lol
That Caris shot was awful. Killed the momentum.
100%. Needed to take the ball to the hoop
Yep. We were rolling at that point. Bobbled the catch and still took a contested 3 anyway.
Seriously he absolutely does not have a 3-pt shot in these playoffs, so why jack it early there?
Celtics scoring in the paint and hitting contested 3’s w clock running down. Things Cavs are not doing.
MERRILL AND WADE ARE THE ONLY POSITIVE IMPACT PLAYERS, AND YOU PLAY STRUS????????????
Merrill hasn’t done anything. Lol
He’s opened up the rim.
Ross apparently a box score boi LMFAO
…
When Merrill was on the floor they couldn’t triple team
Ugh
I think that’s it. Heads just dropped.
Boston just too much
They’re not too much. Cavs have proven they can hang but they keep leaving open driving lanes and the Celtics are hitting shots. The Cavs then force miss shots and come down and take quick 3s
Dont have the personnel to keep Tatum and Brown out if the paint without JA
Max Strus is straight 🗑️
Celtics hitting tough shots. Nothing you can do
Get Garland off the floor he’s giving them nothing.
OK nice pass.
NEED STOPS AND THREES
THIS
We miss JA… evan is on the perimeter and the lane is wide open.
Come tf on Caris
Boston leaving the door ajar. Can Cavs take advantage.
Wtf we heat checking for. You have to capitalize off their misses.
They’re destroying.horford.
No need to rush that Lavert
Let Caris Cook!
Caris finally get a call.
All you guys wanted Merrill but he can’t make wide open layups.
I want him shooting 3s
Exactly
Does anybody want to guard Tatum tonight?
Now cut it to 5 in the next 3 minutes.
Nice start to the quarter, now get more stops.
Evan! Get some!
There ya go Mobley and DG!
Here we go!!!!
RAGE TIMEOUT MAZZULA I SMELL FEAR
Probably going to be too late. They should’ve attacked the hoop like this all game and played fast.
Boston Rage Timeout!!!
There we go! Get the ball up the floor!
Play w pace… now there’s an idea…
9!!!
Good start to 4th.
11….
Okay, maybe series ends in 5 rather than 4. Anybody not named Donovan or Evan going to bother to show up? Just checking
Evan is still just a guy. Only 11 points. Granted he was out with an injury for a bit.
Maybe just a guy on offense. But he’s already elite on D
He’s been the best defensive player in the playoffs by multiple metrics.
Evan not an issue tonight as far as I’m concerned
If you’re NOT named Donovan or Evan, look in the mirror, carefully
JB has had 3 quarters and a 20 minute half time break to design an offense and he continues to run high low pick and dish rolls. He has no idea on how to combat them rotation wise. I can’t wait til he’s gone.
To be fair, he’s drawn up a ton of plays that ended up: wide open three point miss.
He runs a pick and roll offense on the 3 pt line when you have a guy that’s 7 foot that’s not being played on the block. The only chance they have to win another game is to get Mobley open and make teams crash the paint.
Dude. I do not know what game you’re watching. Mobley is getting doubled and tripled in the post. He’s been great in p/r.
These last two quarters have been horrid offensively (2nd) 20, (3rd) 21. Need a 40 point 4th quarter.
That’s not happening. They were cooked when they let them start the 3rd on a 14-0 run. You’re not beating anybody doing that.
Yep. That was the killer. We can’t ever give up 14-0 runs to this opponent and expect to win. Even worse when you’re already down by nearly 10
Celtics have more good players. There. I said it.
I don’t think that’s blasphemy.
They do. But they’re also hitting shots they should make while we continue to miss open shots. That’s the difference in the game. The other glowing difference is JB continues to let Strus guard Tatum when Lavert or D Wade should be
Or Mobley
D Wade has looked awful against Tatum. Huh…
SPIDA MVP LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOO
Darius Garland getting out rebounded by Payton Pritchard lol when he’s behind you
Commentator said DG didnt even jump..
Mobley in the post < Mobley in the pick and roll
Mobley wtf you doing. You spun 4 times. How do you know they aren’t going to call 3 seconds
That was sooooo dumb.. just pass it out.. you don’t have a move..
Strus has been not good on D.
TBF no one cut
Strus you can’t play any D
Let’s get Sam a couple open looks!
How the heck is that not a foul?
Ridiculous no call.