The series moves to Cleveland for Game 3 with the Celtics and Cavaliers tied at one game each. The Celtics opened the Eastern Conference Semifinals with a 120-95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Boston. The Celtics then came out flat in Game 2 and lost 118-94 as they struggled to score and forgot how to defend and rebound.
Game 3 is a pivotal game for both teams. Teams that win Game 3 of a 1-1 best-of-seven series go on to win the series 73.7% of the time. In the first round, the Celtics did the same thing against a short handed Heat team after beating them 114-94 in Game 1, they lost Game 2 111-101. After that disappointing loss, however, the Celtics came back to win the next 3 games, including 2 in Miami. Celtics fans are hoping that they can turn it around the same way in this series.
The Celtics have been an enigma in the playoffs. After losing just 4 games at home all season, they have already lost 2 games at home in the playoffs. The Celtics are 15-15 in their last 30 home playoff games. They are 16-10 on the road over that same period of time. Historically, after starting 1-1 in a series, the Celtics have gone on to win those series 7 times out of 11. After going 1-1 on the road to start a series, the Cavaliers are 0-2 in series wins.
This is the first meeting between these two teams in the post season since 2018 when the 4th seeded Cavaliers beat the 2nd seeded Celtics in 7 games. In 2017, the 2nd seeded Cavaliers beat the 1st seeded Celtics in 5 games. In 2015, Cleveland beat the Celtics in the 1st round in a sweep. In 2010, Boston won in 6 games in LeBron James last year in Cleveland before moving to Miami. In 2008, when the Celtics won the title, Boston beat Cleveland in 7 games in the 2nd round. Previously, they met 3 times with Boston winning in 1976 and 1985 and Cleveland winning in 1992.
Kristaps Porzingis remains the only player on the Celtics injury report. He is dealing with a calf injury that he suffered in Game 4 of Boston’s first-round series against the Heat. He has been at the Celtics’ practices, putting up shots. He is also walking normally without a limp. The Celtics started Al Horford in Games 1 and 2 Horford will likely start again. Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman have come off the bench to back him up.
The Cavaliers have already ruled out 2 players and have 2 others listed as questionable. Ty Jerome is out as he recovers from ankle surgery. Craig Porter, Jr has missed 9 games with an ankle sprain and is out for this game. Dean Wade, who was the hero of the Cavaliers lone win in the regular season, has been out since March 8 with a knee sprain and is questionable for this game.
Jarrett Allen played very well in Cleveland’s first 4 games against the Magic averaging 17.0 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks. He took a hit from Franz Wagner in Game 4 and sustained a rib injury that kept him out of the last 3 games of that series. He missed Games 1 and 2 in this series, and is listed as questionable for this game. Both Wade and Allen will be a game time decision.
Probable Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Oshae Brissett
Sam Hauser
Svi Mykhailiuk
Payton Pritchard
Jordan Walsh
Jaden Springer
Xavier Tillman
Neemias Queta
Luke Kornet
2 Way Players
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Injuries/Out
Kristaps Porzingis (calf) out
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Probable Cavaliers Starters
Cavaliers Reserves
Damian Jones
Caris LeVert
Sam Merrill
Georges Niang
Marcus Morris, Sr
Tristan Thompson
Two Way Players
Emoni Bates
Isaiah Mobley
Craig Porter, Jr
Injuries/Out
Ty Jerome (ankle) out
Dean Wade (knee) questionable
Craig Porter, Jr (ankle) out
Jarrett Allen (ribs) questionable
Head Coach
JB Bickerstaff
Key Matchups
Derrick White vs Donovan Mitchell
Mitchell is averaging 29.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game in the playoffs. He is shooting 46.8% from the field and 31.4.0% from beyond the arc. In Game 1, he finished with 33 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal while shooting 48% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc. In Game 2, he finished with 29 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists. He shot 52.6% from the field and 71.4% from beyond the arc. The Celtics must do a better job of defending him, especially on the perimeter. After playing very will in the Celtics previous playoff games, Derrick White struggled in Game 2. Hopefully he can bounce back and have a good game in this one.
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Al Horford
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
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Evan Mobley
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Al Horford vs Evan Mobley
Of course, if Jarrett Allen can play, he would be the matchup here. Mobley is averaging 13.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.7 blocks in the playoffs. He is shooting 52% from the field and 30.8% from beyond the arc. In Game 1, he finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block, while shooting 66.7% from the field and he didn’t take a 3. In Game 2, he finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. He shot 60% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to try to keep him out of the paint and off the boards.
Honorable Mention
Jrue Holiday vs Darius Garland
Garland is averaging 14.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1 steal per game in the playoffs. He is shooting 45.5% from the field and 41.7%from beyond the arc. Against the Celtics this season, he averaged 22.5 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists and 1.5 steals. He shot 45.2% from the field and 46.7% from beyond the arc in the playoffs. In Game 2, he finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal while shooting 52.6% from the field and 80% from beyond the arc.
Keys to the Game
Defense – Defense is always a key to winning games and especially in the playoffs when defense becomes even more important. The Celtics have a defensive rating of 104.8, which is 3rd in the playoffs. Cavaliers have a 107.4 defensive rating, which is 5th in the playoffs. The Celtics owe their Game 1 win to playing tough defense and they can blame their Game 2 loss to a lack of defense on their part. The Cavs shot 54.7% from the field and 46.4% from beyond the arc in Game 2. The Celtics must play lock down defense from start to finish if they hope to win this game.
Rebound – Next to defense, rebounding is the next biggest key to winning. Much of rebounding is effort and desire and when the Celtics put out the extra effort on the boards, it usually carries through to the rest of their game. The same is true when they slack off on effort and allow themselves to be out-rebounded. In the first round, the Celtics won every game they out-rebounded the Heat and lost the only game the Heat had more rebounds than them. The Celtics out-rebounded the Cavs in the first game 55-38 but once again, in Game 2, they were out-rebounded by the Cavs 44-31 and they lost the game. The Celtics must work harder to grab rebounds than the Cavaliers in this game if they want to win.
Three Point Shooting – The Celtics led the league in 3’s taken in the regular season, taking 42.5 per game. In Round 1 of the playoffs, they took 39 per game (2nd). The Cavaliers were 8th in the regular season, taking 36.8 threes per game. Against the Heat, the Celtics took 38.5 threes per game (2nd) while the Cavs took 30.8 threes per game (14th) against the Magic. The Celtics were 1st with 14 made 3’s per game while the Cavs were last with just 8.6 made 3’s per game in Round 1. The Celtics are 59-7 this season when making the same number or more 3’s than their opponents. They are just 10-13 when they make fewer 3’s than their opponents. In Game 1, the Celtics made 18 threes while the Cavs made just 11. In Game 2, the Celtics made just 8 3’s while the Cavs made 13. The Celtics need to make their 3 pointers and at the same time, defend the perimeter well to limit the 3 point shooting of the Cavs.
Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes – The Celtics need to stay focused for 48 minutes. They have to play with extra effort. The Cavs play hard and so the Celtics need to match that effort and play even harder. The team that plays harder and is more aggressive is usually the team that comes out on top and that also gets the better whistle. The Celtics also have to stay focused. They have to focus on taking good shots and making them and on playing as a team and making the right play every time. They also have to keep that effort and focus up for 48 minutes with no let up and no collapse. The Celtics effort and focus were missing in Game 2 and they need to come into this game focused and ready to play harder than the Cavaliers.
Bench Play – The Celtics need to get help from their reserves. In Game 1, the Celtics reserves were a difference maker for them while the Cavs bench didn’t contribute all that much. In the regular season, the Celtics had the top ranked bench play with a net rating of 6.2. They have done even better in the playoffs with a net rating of 9.6 for their bench in the first round. The Cavs bench was 15th in the regular season and improved to 11th in the playhoffs with a net rating of 3.2. The Celtics bench loses a lot with Al Horford moving into the starting lineup. The Celtics bench outscored the Cavs bench 24-15 in Game 1. However, in Game 2, the Cavs bench out scored the Celtics bench 30-25, with Caris LeVert scoring 21. They will need Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet to play well in this game.
X-Factors
On the Road – The Celtics are playing on the road and will need to stay focused in spite of the distractions of travel and playing in front of a hostile crowd. Cavs fans really do not like the Celtics and will likely be loud and antagonistic. The Celtics are 2-0 so far on the road in the playoffs, winning the 2 games in Miami after their loss in Game 2 in Boston. They need to come into this game focused and ready to play harder than the Cavs, regardless of the venue.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game a little differently with some calling it tight and others letting them play. They seem to be letting them play more in these playoffs so far, but that could change with any given crew and any given game. The Celtics have to adjust to how the game is being called and focus on the game and not on the officials.
Official Report
Crew Chief – Zach Zarba
Zarba has a home win/loss record of 42-29. He calls 52% of fouls on the road team and 48% on the home team. The Celtics are 8-2 in their last 10 games with Zarba, including the Cavs 105-104 win over the Celtics in the regular season. The Cavs are 6-4 in their last 10 games with Zarba. Zarba was the crew chief in Game 1 of Knicks/Pacers where they made a crucial bad call that pretty much cost the Pacers the game.
Referee- James Williams
Williams has a home win/loss record of 43-27. He calls 54% of fouls on the road team and 46% on the home team. The Celtics are 5-5 in their last 10 games with Williams on the crew while the Cavs are 6-4 in their last 10 games with Williams. He called Game 4 at Miami in the first round. Williams has faced criticism for making calls during games on consecutive nights this season, which added to a series of high-profile mistakes.
Umpire – Mark Lindsay
Lindsay has a home win/loss record of 39-28 this season. He calls 49% of fouls on the road team and 51% on the home team. The Celtics are 8-2 in their last 10 games with Lindsay, including Game 4 at Miami in the first round. Cleveland are 7-3 in their last 10 games. Lindsay was in the news this season for ejecting Nikola Jokic after just one technical for foul language. He said that he felt that the language used deserved an ejection but by rule, it takes 2 technicals for an ejection.
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