2024 NBA Playoffs: East Semifinals: #1 Boston Celtics vs #4 Cleveland Cavaliers (BOS WINS 4-1)

[Blacksheep25]

Cavs are +690
Boston -1250

Price at my book for series, so split the difference and Vegas sees it as roughly 10%. I think it’s more 20% because I think Allen and Wade returning seems likely a few games ahead of Porzingas. Whether any play is up in the air. I think Allen is best shot.

I’m probably going to grab some of that +690, because if Cavs manage to win game 3, they’ll offer me a buyout where I can make a few hundred and if they win either, I can still cash out for my original bet.

Celtics are very good and they have games like this. Tatum being a lesser player in the playoffs doesn’t shock me. It’s become the norm. I don’t see their other guys having a game that bad again. I have a lot of respect for guys like White.

I was worried about this scenario saving JBB’s job. Mazzulla and Kidd are the only two coaches who he can seem competent next to. If they won the series, it would almost be worth suffering him again. But I fear they win another game and losing in 6 gives the false impression he’s competent.

[jbk1234]

I thought the decision to go sleeveless was brave.

[jbk1234]

I really don't understand the hate Tatum is getting. He was the Celtics best player last night and with Porzingis out, he's being asked to play PF for real. Guard play is why the Celtics lost.

[JonFromVA]

I think it's mad to expect the Cavs to win this series if healthy.

They won a game without Wade and Allen last night, i don't think it is that far fetched to assume the Cavs would have a punchers chance with those 2 healthy, if the C's were still without KP.

But maybe none of Wade, Allen, or KP play in the series and it is all moot.

So what. It amazes me that people think like this. Why is it you don't consider the fact that had they been playing Mobley doesn't have 21 points?

His aggression set the tone and pace for the Cavs.

It changes the whole game and maybe it doesn't unfold that way.

Had KP been playing then maybe the Celtics aren't 1 for whatever the hell it was from 3 point land from White, Brown and Jrue.

The Celtics always have a game like this. If they have another one then I'll concede that a healthy Cavs team might have a chance but then it'll only really be about the Celtics and their tendency to get distracted and take their foot off the pedal.

I'm sorry not sorry. A healthy Celtics team really should cake walk to a title this year. That's how I view this roster.

Are you the fan in charge of jinxing the Celtics this season?

[JonFromVA]

I really don't understand the hate Tatum is getting. He was the Celtics best player last night and with Porzingis out, he's being asked to play PF for real. Guard play is why the Celtics lost.

Same reason as always ... as the #1 option, he's expected to close games.

[The Corey's]

They won a game without Wade and Allen last night, i don't think it is that far fetched to assume the Cavs would have a punchers chance with those 2 healthy, if the C's were still without KP.

But maybe none of Wade, Allen, or KP play in the series and it is all moot.

So what. It amazes me that people think like this. Why is it you don't consider the fact that had they been playing Mobley doesn't have 21 points?

His aggression set the tone and pace for the Cavs.

It changes the whole game and maybe it doesn't unfold that way.

Had KP been playing then maybe the Celtics aren't 1 for whatever the hell it was from 3 point land from White, Brown and Jrue.

The Celtics always have a game like this. If they have another one then I'll concede that a healthy Cavs team might have a chance but then it'll only really be about the Celtics and their tendency to get distracted and take their foot off the pedal.

I'm sorry not sorry. A healthy Celtics team really should cake walk to a title this year. That's how I view this roster.

Are you the fan in charge of jinxing the Celtics this season?

Celtics in 5 baby.

[Blaze4G]

I think Boston will still win the series, but there's a pretty big difference in talent level between the Heat team the Celtics faced and this Cavs team.

"Everything went great for Cleveland" - lets dive into that:

Cavs - 13/28 on 3s, and a TON of wide open looks - there were also a ton of open looks in game one, but less went down - 13/28 with good looks is.....not what Miami did in game two.

Free throws:

Cavs - 11/16
Boston - 20/24

Two fold here - first, Boston got to the line more despite the Cavs attempting more shots closer to the rim - that's fine, but that definitely did "not go the Cavs way". Second, the Cavs were pretty bad from the free throw line, while the Celtics were good.

The Cavs turned the ball over 10 times, the Celtics 7.



Again, I think Boston should win the series - however, the main reason the Cavs won this game - rebounding and then scoring/defending the paint - are things that SHOULD happen in this series. There is no decent rim protector on the Celtics, while it is something Mobley is great at.

From the Cavs perspective, we should be able to score in the paint and rebound. We should shoot free throws better. And if the looks are THAT open, we should be close to13/28 from 3.

I'm sure Boston will adjust on the latter and the defensive intensity will ramp up, and they won't shoot as bad as they did last night every game.

Lets actually dive into the numbers
Cavs - 13/28 on 3s, and a TON of wide open looks - there were also a ton of open looks in game one, but less went down - 13/28 with good looks is.....not what Miami did in game two.
In game 2 these are the stats:
Cavs shot 10-22 on wide to wide open 3s, 3-6 for tightly defended 3s
Celtics shot 7-27 wide to wide open 3s, 1-8 for tightly defended 3s
Celtics created 22% more wide open 3s but only made 26% of them while the Cavs made 45% of theirs.

Two fold here - first, Boston got to the line more despite the Cavs attempting more shots closer to the rim - that's fine, but that definitely did "not go the Cavs way". Second, the Cavs were pretty bad from the free throw line, while the Celtics were good.

Cavs ranked 24th in getting to the line and 22nd in making their FT. So expecting them to get to the line more and make shoot better from FT line doesn't make sense. Sure, they shot a bit worse than their season average, but the Cavs are not a good FT shooting team.

Out of the 89 games the Celtics played thus far this season, game 2 against cavs is ranked 84th of 89 in points per possession for the Celtics. The Celtics gave up 1.283 points per position, ranked 87 of 89 in games this year. If you want to believe the Celtics will play at almost their absolute worst in Offense and Defense for the entire season then that seems quite unrealistic.

I was talking about THIS game where the Cavs attacked the basket relentlessly, not the FT rate for the regular season - because you said "everything went the Cavs way", which is a straight up incorrect statement.

Firstly, I was not the one that said everything went the cavs way.

You were talking about this game...the cavs where attacking the basket relentlessly? Lets dive into the numbers
1. Cavs drives to the basket in the regular season 48.9. Cavs drives to the basket in game 2 45.
2. Celtics drives to the basket in game 2 58.

Conclusion - numbers dont lie. You may have felt like the cavs attacked the basket relentlessly, but they did it less than the regular season. Celtics attacked the basket a lot more...22% more.

So do you still believe that was an incorrect statement?

[The High Cyde]

Is Pritchard outplaying Garland this series?

[cavsfanatic]

Cavs are +690
Boston -1250

Price at my book for series, so split the difference and Vegas sees it as roughly 10%. I think it’s more 20% because I think Allen and Wade returning seems likely a few games ahead of Porzingas. Whether any play is up in the air. I think Allen is best shot.

I’m probably going to grab some of that +690, because if Cavs manage to win game 3, they’ll offer me a buyout where I can make a few hundred and if they win either, I can still cash out for my original bet.

Celtics are very good and they have games like this. Tatum being a lesser player in the playoffs doesn’t shock me. It’s become the norm. I don’t see their other guys having a game that bad again. I have a lot of respect for guys like White.

I was worried about this scenario saving JBB’s job. Mazzulla and Kidd are the only two coaches who he can seem competent next to. If they won the series, it would almost be worth suffering him again. But I fear they win another game and losing in 6 gives the false impression he’s competent.

Wade is supposed to play Saturday, how effective he is would be anyone's guess.

[JujitsuFlip]

Cavs are +690
Boston -1250

Price at my book for series, so split the difference and Vegas sees it as roughly 10%. I think it’s more 20% because I think Allen and Wade returning seems likely a few games ahead of Porzingas. Whether any play is up in the air. I think Allen is best shot.

I’m probably going to grab some of that +690, because if Cavs manage to win game 3, they’ll offer me a buyout where I can make a few hundred and if they win either, I can still cash out for my original bet.

Celtics are very good and they have games like this. Tatum being a lesser player in the playoffs doesn’t shock me. It’s become the norm. I don’t see their other guys having a game that bad again. I have a lot of respect for guys like White.

I was worried about this scenario saving JBB’s job. Mazzulla and Kidd are the only two coaches who he can seem competent next to. If they won the series, it would almost be worth suffering him again. But I fear they win another game and losing in 6 gives the false impression he’s competent.

Wade is supposed to play Saturday, how effective he is would be anyone's guess.

He's listed questionable just like Allen. The only guy that has been ruled out for the Cavs for Saturday is TJ. We'll see if Wade, Allen, or CPJ can give it a go but I'm not super optimistic.

[bmurph128]

Lets actually dive into the numbers
Cavs - 13/28 on 3s, and a TON of wide open looks - there were also a ton of open looks in game one, but less went down - 13/28 with good looks is.....not what Miami did in game two.
In game 2 these are the stats:
Cavs shot 10-22 on wide to wide open 3s, 3-6 for tightly defended 3s
Celtics shot 7-27 wide to wide open 3s, 1-8 for tightly defended 3s
Celtics created 22% more wide open 3s but only made 26% of them while the Cavs made 45% of theirs.

Two fold here - first, Boston got to the line more despite the Cavs attempting more shots closer to the rim - that's fine, but that definitely did "not go the Cavs way". Second, the Cavs were pretty bad from the free throw line, while the Celtics were good.

Cavs ranked 24th in getting to the line and 22nd in making their FT. So expecting them to get to the line more and make shoot better from FT line doesn't make sense. Sure, they shot a bit worse than their season average, but the Cavs are not a good FT shooting team.

Out of the 89 games the Celtics played thus far this season, game 2 against cavs is ranked 84th of 89 in points per possession for the Celtics. The Celtics gave up 1.283 points per position, ranked 87 of 89 in games this year. If you want to believe the Celtics will play at almost their absolute worst in Offense and Defense for the entire season then that seems quite unrealistic.

I was talking about THIS game where the Cavs attacked the basket relentlessly, not the FT rate for the regular season - because you said "everything went the Cavs way", which is a straight up incorrect statement.

Firstly, I was not the one that said everything went the cavs way.

You were talking about this game...the cavs where attacking the basket relentlessly? Lets dive into the numbers
1. Cavs drives to the basket in the regular season 48.9. Cavs drives to the basket in game 2 45.
2. Celtics drives to the basket in game 2 58.

Conclusion - numbers dont lie. You may have felt like the cavs attacked the basket relentlessly, but they did it less than the regular season. Celtics attacked the basket a lot more...22% more.

So do you still believe that was an incorrect statement?

Fair enough

[jbk1234]

I really don't understand the hate Tatum is getting. He was the Celtics best player last night and with Porzingis out, he's being asked to play PF for real. Guard play is why the Celtics lost.

Same reason as always ... as the #1 option, he's expected to close games.

I mean you close out close games.

[Chuck Everett]

I really don't understand the hate Tatum is getting. He was the Celtics best player last night and with Porzingis out, he's being asked to play PF for real. Guard play is why the Celtics lost.

Same reason as always ... as the #1 option, he's expected to close games.

Tatum always plays PF though (at least for long stretches). They don't start KP and Horford.

[KazuoOda]

Boston's D sure isn't Orlando's that's for sure. Only team that scares me in the east is the Knicks. Everyone else is a layup.

So you think it will be Cavs (your team) and Knicks in the ECF?

I'm not saying the Cavs are going to win. I just don't believe in the Celtics as THAT team. They are beatable. They don't strike fear in anyone. You look at Minnesota, no one wants to play them. Even the Knicks, they have a reputation they are gonna play hard and tough. You look at the Celtics you feel like you can go into their house and take some games.

[jbk1234]

I really don't understand the hate Tatum is getting. He was the Celtics best player last night and with Porzingis out, he's being asked to play PF for real. Guard play is why the Celtics lost.

Same reason as always ... as the #1 option, he's expected to close games.

Tatum always plays PF though (at least for long stretches). They don't start KP and Horford.

My point is he's being asked to do PF type things without their 7'3" center on the court and with Mobley on the other end.

[Chuck Everett]

Same reason as always ... as the #1 option, he's expected to close games.

Tatum always plays PF though (at least for long stretches). They don't start KP and Horford.

My point is he's being asked to do PF type things without their 7'3" center on the court and with Mobley on the other end.

Your point would be more relevant if Jarrett Allen was also on the floor. Tatum is being defended by Strus and Okoro. He's bigger/more talented than both.

[jbk1234]

Tatum always plays PF though (at least for long stretches). They don't start KP and Horford.

My point is he's being asked to do PF type things without their 7'3" center on the court and with Mobley on the other end.

Your point would be more relevant if Jarrett Allen was also on the floor. Tatum is being defended by Strus and Okoro. He's bigger/more talented than both.

On the offensive end, agreed, but they need him to try to protect the rim and rebound as well. Look at the stat lines for Brown, Jrue, and White last night and compare them with Tatum.

[jkvonny]

Hahahaha I'm famous, i really made it!

Now let's hope we don't lose the next 3 straight.

Bisme, the calm moderator as well. Just scoping things out.

[JujitsuFlip]

Hahahaha I'm famous, i really made it!

Now let's hope we don't lose the next 3 straight.

Bisme, the calm moderator as well. Just scoping things out.

If the Cavs drop game 3, i expect a meme in here lol

[CoP]

Boston's D sure isn't Orlando's that's for sure. Only team that scares me in the east is the Knicks. Everyone else is a layup.

So you think it will be Cavs (your team) and Knicks in the ECF?

I'm not saying the Cavs are going to win. I just don't believe in the Celtics as THAT team. They are beatable. They don't strike fear in anyone. You look at Minnesota, no one wants to play them. Even the Knicks, they have a reputation they are gonna play hard and tough. You look at the Celtics you feel like you can go into their house and take some games.

Hmm, ok. Well that's quite a bit different from you saying that every team in the East except for the Knicks is a "layup."