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Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers

Game 4; BOS 2-1

Total: 206 / CLE -7

 

With the team down 0-2 and headed back home, the Cavs responded in a big way blowing the Celtics out by 30. The difference? Cleveland hit 17 three-pointers while shooting 50-percent from the floor. They had five different players hit at least three threes. Boston on the other hand hit six threes total and shot less than 40-percent from the floor as a team.

 

Players to Watch

Boston Celtics

Jayson Tatum - Tatum was seemingly the only Celtic ready to go for Game 3 as he poured in 18 points on 6-of-10 from the field. Tatum now leads the Celtics in scoring this postseason at 18.1 PPG. He leads them in scoring and yet he’s third in FGA and fifth in 3PA. The kicker is that he’s getting to the FT line over five times a game, which is a team high.

Al Horford - The Celtics big man leads the team in rebounds (8.3) and blocks (1.3) and is second in minutes (35) per game this postseason. Boston is 5-0 this postseason when Horford scores 20-plus points and 0-3 when he scores 10 or fewer. Just something to keep an eye on.

Terry Rozier - We need to see Rozier dominate the ball like we did earlier this postseason as he’s only accrued two assists in each of the last two games. Rozier’s averaging 13 points per game this series but is averaging 14.8 PPG against them for the year.

Jaylen Brown - It was no coincidence that Boston’s offense looked horrible as Brown, who scored 23 points in both Game 1 and 2, put in just 10 points in Game 3. He couldn’t get in any sort of rhythm as he committed five fouls and played just 21 minutes. That is definitely something worth noting going forward. He’s young and we’re unsure how foul trouble plays with his head, especially in the postseason.

 

Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James - This comes as a surprise I’m sure, but James has been nothing short of a superhero this series and yet the team is still down 2-1. He has a triple-double and a double-double in back-to-back contests and he has hit eight three’s in his last two games, more than he hit in the six games prior. James finally cut his turnover number down (three in Game 3) and it made a world of difference.

Kevin Love - In terms of production, Cleveland is easy to figure out. They funnel their offense through LeBron James and Kevin Love and between Love, James and Tristan Thompson, nobody else grabs any rebounds. Love has one of the best matchups in the league as Boston’s struggled with big men, not just this year, but for a little while now. Love’s exploiting that leading to two straight rebounding outputs of 14 or more.

Kyle Korver - Korver made all four of his triple’s in Game 3 which he has now done three times over his last five postseason games. Korver’s a 3 and D player at this stage of his career so if his shot is falling early, he could be someone we see play extended minutes.

Jordan Clarkson - After not playing at all in Game 2, Clarkson saw nearly 20 minutes of burn in game 3 and wasn’t shy about shooting the ball. He took 11 shots and although he only made three, all his makes were from beyond the arc. Clarkson is someone we’ve seen score in bunches in the past and could get really hot and change a game for a team desperately looking for another go-to scorer.

 

Pregame Props

1. The last made shot (FG or FT) of the 1st Quarter is a three-pointer?

With the way Cleveland shot the three-ball in Game 3, there’s a definite chance that this comes true. Kyle Korver is normally in to end the first based on Cleveland’s rotations, so it wouldn’t shock me one bit if it were a three.

 

2. Which team records more assists in the 1st Quarter?

Cleveland has averaged the fourth fewest assists per game this postseason while Boston hasn’t been much better ranking ninth. Cleveland, however, won that battle 5-to-4 in Game 3, but they shot the ball lights out and still only won that category by one. I’m taking Boston here because they’ve had a better assist track record in the playoffs.

 

3. Which team scores more points in the 1st Quarter? BOS +3

Cleveland has come out of the gates strong the last two games leading after the first quarter in both instances. It feels like that will be the case once again playing in front of their home crowd tonight with a chance to knot up the series at two.

 

4. The first made shot of the game is a two pointer?

I believe this to be true. Something worth noting is the Cavs like to post up Kevin Love early to get him going and set the tone for the remainder of the night. I think that happens here and he gets a bucket QUICK.

 

5. Either team scores 5 or more points by the 10:30 mark?

If I had to choose, it would be Cleveland. They shot the lights out of the ball from three in Game 3 (17-for-34) and Boston was under 30-percent. Boston also plays at one of the slowest paces in the NBA and it’s hard for me to envision them playing that fast early on and potentially tiring quickly.

 

6. Which team wins the opening tip off?

Tristan Thompson was inserted into the starting lineup for games two and three and went 1-1 in tip off’s. Al Horford on the other hand is 2-1 this series and I expect him to make it 3-1.