“Okay let’s remember Boston and Cleveland fans, all that has happened so far is that Boston has held onto home court advantage. Celtics fans who were ready to run coach Doc Rivers out of town on a rail up until Sunday, should not start looking into any west bound flights yet. Cleveland fans, take your heads out of the oven and put down the razor blades.” Boston’s Defense Gives Them 2-0 Advantage Over Cleveland Win 89-73
If you did not see LeBron James dunk late in the fourth quarter Monday against the Boston Celtics, don’t worry you will. Often, and maybe for the rest of your life! It was that kind of a signature play. LBJ who admitted to TNT reporter Cheryl Miller after the game that he hasn’t really been feeling it offensively this series, got all his frustrations out in that one move. James who more than made up for his shooting 7-20 from the floor for the game with his 13 assists, scored 21 points for the Cavaliers as they defeated the Celtics 88-77 in game four of their seven game Eastern Conference Semi-Final series. The series is now deadlocked at 2-2. Boston who lost just 16 games in the regular season lost their fifth game in the Playoffs. They have yet to win a game on the road.
The two teams played it close for the first three quarters of the contest. The Cavaliers had a razor thin 23-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. As the two teams went to their respective locker rooms at the half, the margin was the same as Cleveland was ahead 45-43. The two teams were still going back and forth during the third quarter, but the Cavaliers went into the fourth quarter leading 68-65.
It was very early during Cavaliers coach Mike Brown’s rookie season. His team had shot the lights out, and won the game. In the post game press conference, I asked the first question. It actually was more of a statement than a question, as I said to Coach Brown that if your team shoots 56% from the floor (which they did that night) they would win a lot of games. I was expecting him to praise his players and then we could delve further into the game. The coach surprised me with his response, he was not very pleased with his team in fact he was not pleased at all. His team had let down defensively down the stretch, and allowing what was a big lead to dwindle down. Mike Brown has always been about defense first and foremost.
Defense played a big part in the Cavaliers victory Monday night, as they held the vaunted Celtics offense to just 12 points in the quarter. Brown relied on Joe Smith and Anderson Varejao to be defensive stoppers in the quarter, and they did their job. Boston could not create against the smaller Cleveland team. Again Boston has struggled on the road as they did in the Atlanta series. Although they have home court advantage through out the Playoffs, the Celtics will not make it to the the Finals if they can not win on the road. Whether or not they get past Cleveland, you have to win on the road to succeed in the post season it is as simple as that.
LBJ recorded a double-double as he scored a game high 21 points, 13 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks. Wally Szczerbiak had another big game against his former team scoring 14 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, Daniel Gibson also scored 14 points off the bench, 6 rebounds, 4 assists. Anderson Varejao scored 12 points, coming off the pine 6 rebounds.
Kevin Garnett recorded a double-double for Boston as he scored 15 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block. Ray Allen scored 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists,1 block, Rajon Rondo also scored 15 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals. Paul Pierce scored 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists. It’s a three game series with two games in Boston, and one sandwiched in in Cleveland. The Cavaliers want game five, they saw what happened to the Hawks in game seven. Wednesday night at the “New Garden” it all starts again.
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