Recap: Cavs 124, Celtics 95 (Or, 10: The Cavs bounce back with a vengeance)
2010-05-07
Overview:
The Cleveland Cavaliers got off to a great start on Friday, opening up a double-digit lead against the Celtics six minutes into the game. They never looked back, executing on both sides of the floor en route to a 124-95 victory. The game set a record for the largest victory for a road team in Boston. LeBron James scored 21 points to set the tone in the first quarter, and finished with a line of 38/8/7 for the night.
Game Summary:
“My impression of the fight? Shane’s gonna come out and hit Floyd in the mouth, and Floyd is gonna sprout a tail, grow wings, draw fangs and claws and turn into a Dragon in the ring; And he’ll start spittin’ fire balls.”
– Naazim Richardson, before the Mayweather-Mosley fight
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers got hit in the mouth hard on Monday. They couldn’t get stops on defense. They weren’t running their offense or making shots. LeBron was unusually passive. All of that led to the Cavaliers getting embarrassed on their home floor.
On Friday night, LeBron and the Cavaliers responded. LeBron knew what the stakes were, and he set the tone by playing aggressive and putting the Celtics in a hole right out of the gate. He looked for his mid-range jumper early and made every shot he got a look at, going 5-7 from outside the paint in the first quarter. When he got transition opportunities or saw that Boston’s help wasn’t in place, he went hard to the basket for the basket or free throws. At the end of the first quarter, LeBron had 21 points and the Celtics had 17.
A lot of times in the regular season, the rest of the Cavs would take their foot off the gas pedal when LeBron had a huge scoring start, particularly if he was doing it from outside. On Friday night, the Cavs matched LeBron’s intensity on both ends of the floor. Shaq looked for deep position early and got some points inside. Antawn Jamison made a runner or two, but most of his points came from going right to the front of the rim and accepting contact.
On defense, the Cavs played Anthony Parker well off of Rajon Rondo, packed the paint, and made Boston work for all of their baskets. Boston couldn’t hit a shot from outside, going 4-14 from outside the paint in the first quarter. Between LeBron going off, their shots not falling, and the whistles not going their way, Boston completely unraveled.
It was all downhill for the final three quarters. LeBron stayed in the game until there was 6:50 remaining in the second quarter; by that point, the Cavs were up 18. The Celtics started making some shots in the second and third quarters, but they couldn’t stop the Cavs from running a layup line and hitting nearly all of the outside shots they did end up taking.
By the time LeBron left the game with 5:40 left to play, the Cavs were up 30. A statement game. A rout. A massacre. An embarrassment. Call it what you will. The most important thing about game three is that it was a win. The Cavs have home-court advantage back, and have a great chance to pounce on Boston this Sunday and take a 3-1 lead back to the Q.
Cavs-Related Bullets:
-LeBron James. Wow. He completely controlled the game from the opening tip. It wasn’t a timely scoring explosion or beautiful shot — it was LeBron completely and overwhelming the Celtics from start to finish.
After all the talk about the elbow, this might be as well as I’ve ever seen LeBron shoot from the outside. He lined it up, found space, and knocked it down like it was a layup. When the lane was open for a pass or a drive, he took it. But mostly he just went to the perimeter and drained shot after shot. There’s nothing any defense can do about that. Unreal. Absolutely unreal. When the team needed him to step up, he was completely dominant. That’s why he’s a two-time MVP.
-There’s Shaq! Deep position, strong finishes, went to the offensive glass aggressively. This is exactly what he needs to do when he’s out there. When you weigh 325 points, you should never be “settling” for shots.
-Gritty game for Jamison. His outside shot wasn’t on, but he did a great job of working off the ball and getting tough baskets inside en route to 20 points. And even though KG had his best shooting night of the series, Jamison made him get his baskets on post-ups and outside jumpers rather than layups. It’s fine to give up points, just not easy ones.
-Mo’s still waiting for that first three of the series, but boy did he make up for it by attacking off the dribble. I’m not sure why the offense isn’t getting him the shots he likes; that said, give props to Mo for putting his head down and going to the basket rather than try and force himself into the offense.
-AP and Delonte: 25 points on 9-11 shooting from the field. That’s huge. AP knocked down all three of his looks from deep, and Delonte couldn’t miss a pull-up jumper. I will say that I didn’t love the way Delonte was stopping the ball and settling for jumpers. Hard to argue with results, though.
-31-34 from the line! 31-34 from the line! 31-34 from the line!
Bullets of Randomness:
-Paul Pierce, you cannot score against LeBron. You are old, slow, and extremely crafty. LeBron is young, freakishly fast, and also crafty. It’s not going to work out. Please keep trying, though.
-Give Mo and company credit for chasing Ray Allen all night and preventing him from getting easy looks. The Celtics were waiting for the Cavs to get lazy and allow open looks from deep all game long, but it never happened. Great defensive effort on Friday night.
-Nate Robinson took 10 shots in 13 minutes.
Alright, that’s all for tonight. Great win, but remember it only counts for one game. The Celtics are a home win from tying this series up again. The Cavs didn’t listen to the people who said the sky was falling after game two; they can’t listen to the people who say they’re invincible now. There’s a lot of work to be done before this series is over. If the Cavs buckle down and play the full 48, they can do it. Until later, folks.
Jonathan you’re ranting. Kroliks point was straight forward enough. Lebron has has the spotlight money, fame and power from the age of 18 and has handled it about as well as you can expect a person to handle it. No scandals, off the court problems, coach issues, teammate issues, any type of issues to speak of except for media generated bs, like not shaking hands after a crushing loss, or how hurt is his elbow. You have yet to present an argument for your dislike of him that counters that point. Your point amounts to, “you guys like him too… Read more »
Hi Kevin 2 – the reason I said whomever was simply because the person who determined that I hate things for no reason declined to attach a name to their post so i didn’t know to whom I should address my reply. And yes I have heard of projection: but you seem to misuse it in this instance. And at the base of your misuse of this theory is the simple fact that I never said your comment was childish (at least in the pejorative sense) but rather that it was a simplistic comment and a simplistic view on the… Read more »
See, that’s why I started posting with my full name. Makes things so much easier….
liking the doppelganger of ORL coasting undefeated into ECF while cavs play through some adversity. mirror image of last year’s ECF.
/nowhutimean?
Great game. The Cavs will probably drop one game between now and a series victory, but they might not… who knows. Still gonna go with Cavs in 6 (as opposed to Cavs in 5).
Man i’m glad Isaac’s not such a common name.
There might be three Kevin’s then. My first comment was the one that says “I hope the Cavs pretend that this game didn’t happen and just watch film of game 2 for game 4…” Then my second comment was directed at jonathan, who was irate about my original comment, which complimented Lebron James on his character. I think it’s sad when someone as legit as Lebron gets hated just because he is that good. It don’t matter. It’s a good name. I hope the Cavs come out for game 4 with that same kind of urgency they had in game… Read more »
Kevin 2,
I’m the other Kevin that posts. You were here before me so I should have chosen a different name. Apologies. Go Cavs.
@jonathan First of all, my comment wasn’t directed at you. I don’t think I’ve ever read any of your comments. A sign of a paranoid is someone who thinks everything is about him/her. Secondly, you’re really anal, but I’m sure you already know that. I should also say that I’m a different Kevin than the other Kevin posting on this board. I love this quote: “People like you who constantly spew this kind of crap are a huge part of the answer why. It’s pure arrogance and simplistic to the highest level. It makes you sound like a twelve year… Read more »
To whomever said that I am one of those people who hate for no reason – I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your reasoning. I actually gave a very specific reason why I and countless others have a different view of Lebron than others. You may disagree with my reasons, but you’ve completely failed to comprehend what I was saying. Apologies for the harsh tone in my first post, but if you can’t see how the attitude that Lebron is a paragon of virtue and a messianic figure in the NBA might annoy some people, (an attitude that I and… Read more »
It isn’t good for the Celtics that Rondo can’t just be good, but he has to be the best player on the court for them to win. Players an fans alike are talking about how well we did on Rondo..well, he was still 9-17 with 18 points and 8 assists. That is still pretty freaking good for a guywho can’t shoot and something we would love to see out of any of our PGs. Fortunately, Rondo playing really well isn’t enough..has to be truly great.
Let’s also remember that the Cavs DID beat the Magic twice this year, and played them close in both losses, one of which doesn’t really count because Lebron and Shaq didn’t play and neither team had anything to play for. Last year the Magic dominated the Cavs in the regular season and they had that Turkoglu guy. There was good reason to believe the Cavs would have a lot of trouble in that series. The Magic are obviously playing very well and there are different matchup problems this year but the Cavs definitely CAN beat them. But let’s get there… Read more »
above post meant for Jonathan, not said by Jonathan
Thank you for proving you are one of those people who hates for no reason. Congrats to you.
“Krolik has pondered at the real cause of the pronounced resentment of Lebron. There isn’t anything to ponder. Lebron is too good at basketball, leadership, and being a kind, legitimate person to comprehend for people who like their superstars to have a dramatic history and detrimental vices (like Kobe). In world of fraud, criminality,and corruption, Lebron’s character is almost messianic given how much money and power he has. I’m wearing my Lebron shoes today.” People like you who constantly spew this kind of crap are a huge part of the answer why. It’s pure arrogance and simplistic to the highest… Read more »
Every one is talking about the Magic and seeing as they eliminated us last year they DO deserve respect. But lets remember last year it was THEM playing the longer series’ against tougher teams and US who swept our way to the ECF and we all remember how that worked out.
Thought it was great how they abused Nate Robinson on the defensive end, posting him up for easy jumpers and lane shots. He may be one of the better shooters for Boston, but he’s definitely a defensive liability and we can’t complain about seeing him out there.
I hope the Cavs pretend that this game didn’t happen and just watch film of game 2 for game 4. Again, if they can control Rondo and Allen, the Celtics cannot win a game against them, because KG and Pierce far are past their prime. You have to love how much people hate on Lebron James. That’s the price of being by far the best player in a league of superstars. And unlike a lot of superstars, he just lets his game do the talking. Krolik has pondered at the real cause of the pronounced resentment of Lebron. There isn’t… Read more »
Leo,
What about The Myth?
Paul Pierce is a former NBA Finals MVP. He’s sucked in this series, but his accomplishments as a player shouldn’t be discounted.
Here’s the question. Do the Cavs get complacent and go into game four thinking they can easily recreate this performance? Or are they able to anticipate Boston’s adjustments and give them a truly demoralizing beat down at home again?
Based on the observed pattern so far this postseason, I’m guessing we get a little bit of a letdown game on Sunday. Then a win at home and finally victory in game six.
“Garnett is a punk bitch i hope he gets thrown out of a game…his antics are so annoying.”
Agreed. I call him Kevin “The Moving Screen” Garnett.
How Rondo goes the rest of the Celtics go. The “Big Three” don’t want to admit it, but he’s their best player. In Game 3 the Cavs made him settle for jumpers more than the other games and that changed everything.
If the Cavs play like that consistently, they can beat anyone. It’s the same intensity that they had against the Lakers and Magic in their wins this year. It’s just unknown at this point if they can actually keep it up.
Its about time this team plays hard for 48 minutes…out of 8 games theyve only done it twice…maybe theres this whole conserving energy thing but damn itd be nice if they did this every game…at least if they went all out from the start and have a huge lead they can rest the starters cuz the bench isnt that much of a drop off….we are a deep enough team. i did notice the nate ‘goose’ thing and didnt really react mainly because we were still up 25 or something…its like whatever… parker is one of those guys that ive ripped… Read more »
Rich, I like that you’re staying pessimistic. I can respect a man who stays true to his principles : )
Just one game sure. But that game should be placed on a pedestal somewhere. That was one of the most complete Cavs victories in franchise history, especially given the venue and the stakes. I just sat in awe for 2 hours.
Also… Nate Robinson would be first team all-garbage time if such a thing existed. Ricky Davis is in the garbage time hall of fame.
Did I lose my posting privileges for being pessimistic? I thought this was a Cleveland sport blog?
Still not even close to convinced they can beat the magic. Losing by 18 at home to an nice, but not great team, doesn’t just vanish from my memory. Nonetheless, they have put their foot down that they aren’t dead yet.
Parker is better than people have given him credit for all season. I think Jamario has been given way more credit than he deserves. I’m like the anti-average cavs fan.
1.) Anthony Parker played an awesome game. We all notice when he plays bad, but not when he plays well. (to steal from Krolik) 2.) Delonte West played very good D on Ray Allen. 3.) Jamison cutting the basket is a thing of beauty. He finally made KG work. 4.) The Cavs won by 29 @ Boston and despite the conventional wisdom about the Celtics playing like crap – they hit an awful lot of tough shots. It’s one thing to be up big because the other team can’t toss a rock into the ocean (Cavs game 2) it’s quite… Read more »
yeah Bradley I kind of was like WTF at that, but Robinson’s cool with me(i’m 5’5).
I’m also guessing that if Big Z wanted to play tonight he would have. That’s how much of an unbelievable team player he is. I think he may feel as if he’s a liability out there right now. I love Ilgauskas. I love these Cavs.
Jamison had 14 shots in 3 quarters. That is what I need to see from him. In closer games I expect the total by the end of the game to be 17-18.
Nate did the goose-eye after he hit a 3. They were down 25.
Lebron: 38-8-7
Big Three: 37-11-7
I assume Z didn’t play because MB asked him and he didn’t want to play. He made a comment another night that he didn’t like coming in like that because he wasn’t loose. I’m thinking he’ll be there should we need him for matchups in a later series.
And I liked to see Powe too but he does not look good running down the court. Still would like to see him against Orlando should we get there given his uncanny ability to get fouled.
Masterful is the only word to describe Lebron’s performance.
And I loved how Jamison, Delonte and even Mo attacked off the dribble.
But how bout some respect for Mike Brown. He made several adjustments that deserve credit:
1- Clearly his rants about “urgency” were either effective or very coincidental.
2- Used some token full court pressure to keep the energy and tempo up
3- While not shaking things up entirely, did employ a bit more quickness and flexibility within substitution patterns
4 – Mixed up coverages and assignments (Mo on Allen, AP on Rondo)
People seems to trash AP all the time on this blog but he is the guy on the team I have the most confidence in shooting an open three. And I know I should be used to it by now, but Jamison just has the weirdest game. Like he just can’t release a shot in a normal way. It’s fun to watch, but just crazy that he can be so successful shooting like that. This game just goes to show that every game can be a different story in the NBA. Hopefully the Cavs have had their final wake up… Read more »
No Z though. I feel bad for him. Everyone wanted him back, and then when he returned, nobody wanted him to play. But he’s a core teammate, need him in the locker room and on the bench and against Orlando/L.A. if the Cavs face those teams.
Best part about lil Nate going off in the 4th quarter was watching him get absolutely abused on the defensive end. Hopefully public pressure gets him more minutes.
Also, nice of Coach Brown to let POWESMASH get some minutes, draw some fouls and finish the game against his old team.
That feels so good. Go Cavs.
Game 2 was only one loss, Game 3 was only one win. Cavs up 2-1 in the series with the pressure shifting a little to the Celtics. Good stuff.