The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to scrape by in their first-round matchup against the Orlando Magic despite Orlando's stellar defense. In the second round of the NBA playoffs, they will be facing a similarly dominant defensive team, but one that is much better on offense in the Boston Celtics. Both teams will need to battle through injuries to their star big men in this series, and in this article, we will explain everything that you need to know before Game 1.
Where is the Celtics vs. Cavaliers series?
The Celtics had the best record in the regular season in the entire league, so they will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. That means Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 will be at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers will host Games 3, 4, and 6 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
How to watch Celtics vs. Cavaliers
Game 1: Cavaliers @ Celtics on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 p.m. ET – TNT
Game 2: Cavaliers @ Celtics on Thursday, May 9 at 7 p.m. ET – ESPN
Game 3: Celtics @ Cavaliers on Saturday, May 11 at 8:30 p.m. ET – ABC
Game 4: Celtics @ Cavaliers on Monday, May 13 at 7 p.m. ET – TNT
Game 5: Cavaliers @ Celtics on Wednesday, May 15 at TBD – TNT
Game 6: Celtics @ Cavaliers on Friday, May 17 at TBD – ESPN
Game 7: Cavaliers @ Celtics on Sunday, May 19 at TBD
Cavaliers storylines
A large part of what makes both the Celtics and the Cavaliers great is their interior rim protection. For the Cavaliers, the man at the center position is Jarrett Allen. Unfortunately, Allen might miss some time in this series. He missed the final three games of round one with a rib contusion.
Allen is one-half of Cleveland's uber-tall frontcourt. If he is unable to play right away, the team will count on Evan Mobley to play more at the five. Luckily, Mobley is also an elite paint presence.
The Cavaliers are coming off of a barn-burner of a series against the Magic. The series went to Game 7, and Cleveland even trailed by 18 points in that game. Their comeback victory was the biggest in Game 7 history.
Donovan Mitchell led the way for the team in that comeback. The guard is one of the best playoff performers in the league. In fact, he has scored at least 30 points in 23 of his 51 playoff games. He had 39 in Game 7, and he basically willed his team to victory.
Cleveland will need more out of the supporting cast if they want to steal a game or two off of the best team in the league. Mitchell's backcourt partner, Darius Garland, only had 12 points in Game 7 against the Magic. That will not be enough against a team as good as the Celtics.
Celtics storylines
The Celtics have been the clear-cut best team in the NBA all season long, and they demonstrated that in the first round against the Miami Heat. While they did suffer one fluky loss, Boston beat the Heat by double digits in all four of their victories and by at least 20 points in three of those four games.
They did it largely without Kristaps Porzingis. The star big man is expected to miss at least the next few games because of the calf injury he suffered in the first round, which means both the Celtics and Cavaliers may be without their starting centers for a good chunk if this series.
Boston has been good for years, but they took things to a new level after adding Porzingis to their starting lineup. Luckily, his replacement – Al Horford – has tons of postseason experience. Horford has 172 playoff games to his name. However, he actually ranks third all-time for postseason appearances without a championship.
The entire Celtics organization is desperate to get back to championship glory. Boston has 17 total championships, but they only have one since the '80s and Boston's core has fallen just short in recent seasons.
That core obviously includes Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The two wings form one of the best duos in the NBA. It is the team's recent acquisitions that have taken Boston to new heights, though. In addition to Porzingis, the team improved defensively by adding Jrue Holiday last offseason. Derrick White was also a former trade addition for the team, and he is currently playing the best basketball of his career.
White scored 22.4 points per game in the first round while shooting 47.7 percent from deep. It was one of the most efficient single-series outbursts in NBA history, and Boston will likely be unbeatable if he is able to continue his hot streak.
Boston is favored to win this series, but the Cavaliers aren't slouches. Cleveland has been looked at as one of the best up-and-coming teams in the NBA for years now, and they seem ready to take the next step forward. Porzingis' injury also makes Boston's playoff outlook a little cloudy. Regardless, the team has dominated all year, and there is a good chance they will continue to do so in round two. So, who do you think will advance to the Eastern Conference Finals?
Follow Us
Subscribe