By Dan Ferrara, NBA International
After beating their first two opponents with ease, a well-rested Cleveland Cavaliers team will trot into TD Garden in Boston for their toughest postseason challenge yet. The Celtics, coming off a seven-game victory over the Wizards, aren’t as rested and don’t boast a superstar close to the stratosphere of LeBron James – but what they do have is a cohesive, gritty unit, with great chemistry and who play hard-nosed defense.
LeBron may get his points this series, but they certainly won’t come easy. It’s hard to envision a scenario where the Cavs just run and gun against the Celtics, blowing them out of the building with off-the-backboard alley-oops and easy transition hoops. Boston is too prideful for that, and they’re too skilled to allow that to happen.
However, if the Celts really want to clamp down, they need to keep doing what they’ve been doing thus far: limit the long ball. The key to Boston’s postseason success has been guarding the 3-point line, something they will also have to carry over into their series with Cleveland.
Celtics opponents have connected on just 7.8 3-pointers per game, the lowest in the playoffs. Additionally, opponents have shot just 31% from downtown, the second-lowest clip. When taking into account that Washington’s Otto Porter Jr. ranked fifth in the league during the regular season with a glistening 43.4% mark from behind the arc, that’s quite the accomplishment. In fact, Porter connected on just four 3’s in the entire seven games, shot a lackluster 19% from deep, and was held scoreless in Game 6. It’s safe to say he was held in check.
Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder and Jaylen Brown aren’t afraid to get in your face – their fearlessness and strength are their greatest attributes. The Celtics may have the best crop of perimeter defenders in the league, each capable of guarding multiple positions and closing out on defenders with each possession, going hard over screens.
They’ll need to bring their “A” games when facing the sharpshooters on Cleveland, as the Cavs lead the Association in 3-pointers made per game (14.4) and 3-point percentage (43.4%) this postseason.
Kyle Korver, who ranked second in the league in 3-point percentage (45.1%) this season, will likely be shadowed by a mix of Isaiah Thomas and Smart, as Bradley will probably draw the assignment to hold Kyrie Irving in check. Thomas, not known for his defense, has held opponents to an incredible 21% shooting from distance, the best on the Celtics. Smart has still been well above league average in this regard, holding his opponents to a mere 33.3%.
Simply put, the Cavs are going to have to work for every bucket. Open 3’s may come from time to time off a great cross-court pass from LeBron after drawing a double team, but those will be few and far between. They will be even fewer if Crowder can somehow lock down James without the need for a double-team, thus taking away some of his passing ability from a post-up set and keeping defenders near their assignments around the perimeter.
Boston has the type of defensive toughness and skill that can give the Cavs a challenge this postseason – finally.
