Post by FLCeltsFan on May 22, 2017 21:41:27 GMT -5
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Boston Celtics (1-2) at Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1)
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
8:30 PM ET
Eastern Conference Finals Game [HASH]4
Playoff Game [HASH]17, Road Game [HASH]8
TV: TNT
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, ESPN Radio
Quicken Loans Arena
Probable Starters
PG: Marcus Smart ........................................ SG: Avery Bradley
C: Al Horford
SF: Jae Crowder ............................................ PF: Amir Johnson
Celtics Reserves
Demetrius Jackson
Jordan Mickey
Terry Rozier
James Young
Tyler Zeller
Kelly Olynyk
Jonas Jerebko
Jaylen Brown
Gerald Green
Injuries
Isaiah Thomas (hip) out
Amir Johnson (shoulder) questionable
Head Coach
Brad Stevens
Probable Starters
PG: Kyrie Irving ................ SG: JR Smith
C: Tristan Thompson
SF: LeBron James................. PF: Kevin Love
Cavs Reserves
Kay Felder
Channing Frye
Richard Jefferson
Dahntay Jones
James Jones
Kyle Korver
Iman Shumpert
Deron Williams
Derrick Williams
Injuries
Edy Tavares (hand) out
Game Notes
The Celtics come into Game 4 with a bit of confidence thanks to a surprising come from behind win on the road in Game 3. The Cavs, especially LeBron James, will come into this game looking to avenge that loss and will certainly look to start strong and try to put the Celtics away early. But the Celtics now know that they can beat the Cavs (even with the Cavs shooting 24 more free throws) and will try to make it two wins in a row.
Amir Johnson missed practice on Monday and was expected to get an MRI on his injured shoulder. He suffered the injury when Tristan Thompson put him in an arm bar similar to the one that Kelly used on Kevin Love and with a similar result, a sprained shoulder. However, Kelly was suspended for it while Thompson didn't even get called for a foul for the same move.
Amir is questionable for Game 4. His status for the game will be decided closer to game time. Jonas Jerebko, who played very well in Game 3, played with the starters at practice on Monday and my guess is that if Amir can't play, Jonas will take his place in the starting lineup. Isaiah is expected to miss his second straight game with a hip injury. Edy Tavares is the only player expected to be out for the Cavs.
Key Matchups
vs Jae Crowder vs LeBron James
LeBron had a very unLebron-like game in Game 3, scoring just 11 points and 6 turnovers. He will more than likely come out on a mission to erase that game from his mind and so the Celtics have to be ready for extreme LeBron. It would be nice if the Celtics can keep him off his game once again but that may be too much to ask for.
vs Amir Johnson vs Kevin Love
Amir may or may not play in this game due to the shoulder injury at the hands of Tristan Thompson. Whether he starts or not, expect Jonas Jerebko to once again play good minutes. Hopefully he can rattle Love again and keep him from having another big game.
Honorable Mention
Marcus Smart vs Kyrie Irving
Marcus was huge in Game 3, hitting 7 of 10 three pointers for 27 points. His defense also helped the Celtics to lock down the Cavs in the second half as the Celtics came back from a 21 point deficit. The Celtics will need another big game from Marcus if they hope to get a win in this one.
Keys to the Game
Defense Defense Defense!! Defense is key to winning every game. The Celtics must concentrate on getting stops and keeping the Cavaliers from scoring at will. After getting whatever they wanted on offense in the first two games, the Celtics locked down on defense in the second half of Game 3 and that allowed them to get the win. The Celtics must once again lock down on defense in this game if they want to get a win.
Rebound - The Celtics can't score if they don't have the ball. They must crash the boards as a team to prevent the Cavs from getting second chance and fast break points. They also need to rebound to give themselves extra possessions and to fuel their running game. The Celtics did a better job of crashing the boards and getting second chance points in the second half of Game 3. They have to once again crash the boards as a team and work hard to beat the Cavs to rebounds.
Be Aggressive - The Celtics must be the more aggressive team. They have to beat the Cavs to every loose ball and win the 50/50 plays. They have to be aggressive on the boards and in driving into the paint and to the basket. They have to be the team that works harder and the team that wants it more. The Celtics found their heart in Game 3 and played harder in the second half and they must do that again in this game.
Focus - The Celtics have to remain focused and block out the distractions of playing on the road. They have to focus on taking good shots and they have to make them. They have to focus on playing tough in your face defense. And they have to focus on playing Celtics basketball regardless of what the Cavs are doing. They must keep their focus for the entire game and not let up until the final buzzer.
X-Factors
On the Road - The Celtics have been a good road team all season. They won 3 road games against the Bulls in the first round. They weren't able to win on the Wizards court, but they were able to get a win on the road in Game 3. They have to focus on playing the game the right way and block out the distractions of playing in a hostile arena. Hopefully the Cavs will let up just enough for the Celtics to steal another game on their home court.
Officiating - As always, the officiating is an x-factor. Every crew officiates differently and teams never know what to expect. Sometimes they let them play and other times they call a foul on every possession. Some games they call evenly and others they favor one team or the other. It's like Forrest Gump's box of chocolate... you never know what you are going to get. In most games against the Cavs, the Cavs seem to get the benefit of way too many calls. The Celtics must play through it and not let the officials take them out of the game if that happens. The Cavs definitely got a friendly whistle in Game 3, taking 36 free throws to just 12 for the Celtics, ignoring Thompson's arm bar that dislocated Amir's shoulder, just to name one non-call.
