Game Preview: Celtics v Cavaliers

The Boston Celtics will host the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden in Game 5 of
the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday. The series is currently tied, 2-2.
Boston continued its troubling trend of struggling on the road in the playoffs,
dropping both games in Cleveland over the weekend. While Game 4’s nine-point
loss was a far cry from the previous game’s 30-point blowout, Boston still did
not look like the team that made quick work of Philadelphia in the second round.
Coach Brad Stevens admonished his team for its poor early shot selection, which
was a contributing factor in itsdismal 18-point first quarter. The team as a
whole finished the game shooting just 41 percent from the field and 32 percent
from three-point range. Bench guard Marcus Smart, who had been a major piece of
the Celtics’ two wins in Boston, shot just 2-of-8 while committing five
turnovers in limited minutes off the bench. The Celtics will look to turn around
their offensive misfortunes as they return to their home floor, where they
remain undefeated in this postseason. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, enjoyed yet
another big night from superstar LeBron James. James led all scorers with 44
points, his sixth game of 40 or more points in this year’s playoffs. His
performance was crucial in the Cavs’ hot start, as the team scored 34 points in
the first quarter. Veteran point guard George Hill made a big contribution for
the second straight game, pitching in 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Tristan
Thompson also made a splash with 13 points and 12 rebounds. The Cavaliers as a
whole shot over 50 percent from the field. They will look to carry that
offensive energy into a tough road environment in Boston.