The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Boston Celtics 120-95 on Tuesday night.
This series already looks and feels much differently than the previous one did for the Cavaliers in a number of ways. It might not be as physical as the seven-game rock fight with the Orlando Magic just was, but the Celtics present a number of far more difficult challenges than the Cavaliers have seen. All of that was on display Tuesday night in Boston.
Here are three things to takeaway from the Game 1 loss:
A Much Different Math Equation
In the previous series against the Magic, offense was difficult to find. In just one of the seven games both teams were able to surpass 100 points. Points were at a premium, even in games that weren’t competitive, it wasn’t because one team was red hot offensively. It was more because the losing team was ice cold. Each game against the Magic was a race to 85 points. Against Boston, it’s much more like a race to 110. It’s almost like watching a different sport with how different things are stylistically.
The Celtics launched 46 3-pointers on Tuesday night, connecting on 18 of them. The Magic didn’t have a game against the Cavs with more than 37 attempts and 13 makes. Conversely, the 3-point output was up for the Cavs, but the percentage wasn’t high enough. In the first half, the Cavaliers actually outscored Boston from 3-point range, 24-18. The second half was a far different story, as the Cavs made just three 3-pointers compared to 12 for the Celtics.
They’re not going to win games in this series like that.
In Boston’s previous series, in which it defeated the Miami Heat in a swift five games, the only loss was in large part due to 3-point variance. In Game 2, Miami made 23 3-pointers compared to Boston hitting only 11. In the four other games, all of which the Celtics won by at least 14 points, Boston outscored Miami from deep.
In essence, the Cavaliers are going to need to do a much better job not only defending the 3-point line, but also converting from it offensively. The 42 attempts by Cleveland on Tuesday isn’t a bad number for the Cavs. Shooting just 26.2% on those attempts won’t get it done, though.
More Than Donovan Mitchell
It should surprise no one that Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell had a big night on Tuesday. In his final two games against the Magic, he scored a combined 89 points, the second-most combined in Games 6 and 7 of any series in NBA history. He picked up right where he left off with 33 points through the first three quarters and going scoreless in the fourth quarter while the game was already out of reach. Mitchell’s effort can be expected to be consistent throughout this series, but the remainder of the roster needs to be better.
Big man Evan Mobley’s box score numbers look good, scoring 17 points on just 12 shots, but there aren’t very many instances when opposing teams view him as an offensive threat right now. The Celtics appeared to be content to allow smaller players defend Mobley at times, betting that Mobley wouldn’t be able to take advantage. His offensive game can too often be slow to develop, so even when he can take advantage of smaller defenders, defenses have time to bring help over. Expecting that to change quickly is unrealistic – this is who Mobley is right now – but it being different would open up more for the Cavs offensively.
Additionally, point guard Darius Garland wasn’t able to elevate his game Tuesday night. Garland scored 14 points in 36 minutes. He’s very rarely going to be asked to be the leading scorer on offense, but the Cavs are certainly going to need more out of him if they’re going to have a chance in this series.
Adding Depth
Not saying that it would ultimately change the outcome of this series, because after all, Boston is the best team in the NBA for a reason, but having swingman Dean Wade available and healthy would significantly impact what the Cavs would be able to do at both ends of the floor. Wade is a 6-foot-9 wing that is an above average defender and shoots nearly 40% from 3-point range. Against Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, he’s the exact type of defender that’s needed.
The best teams in basketball in this era are filled with players with Wade’s size and skillset, but he’s unique on Cleveland’s roster that’s filled with guards and bigs. That’s what makes him so valuable. He’s not the most irreplaceable player on the roster for the Cavs, but he is a player that the Cavs cannot replace.
Wade hasn’t played since early March. He stepped away from the team for personal reasons – he became a father – and then injured his knee during practice before playing in another game. If the Cavs can get Wade back on the floor it should be helpful.
Of course, the other player most notably missing from the lineup is Jarrett Allen. Tuesday night was the fourth consecutive game that he’s missed with what the team has termed a right rib contusion. In each of the four games, Allen has been listed as questionable on the injury report before being unable to give it a go. In the first four games of the series against Orlando, Allen was one of the best players Cleveland had.
Having Allen on the floor would help the Cavs offensively more than defensively. While he’s a terrific defender, Mobley has done more than enough on that end of the floor while he’s been out. But offensively Allen is better at doing several little things, including setting screens for Mitchell and Garland and also features better touch around the rim.
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