A look at the Eastern Conference semifinal series between the
Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, which begins Saturday (with
regular season and playoff records):
No. 1 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (61-21, 4-1) vs. No. 4 BOSTON CELTICS
(50-32, 4-1).
Season series: Tied, 2-2. Boston won at Cleveland in the NBA season opener, then the Cavaliers took the next two games by a combined 31 points. The Celtics pulled out the final meeting 117-113 at home, blowing a 22-point lead but holding on when LeBron James missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer on the fast break in the closing seconds instead of going for a tying 2. James averaged 36.5 points, 8.3 assists and 6.5 rebounds.
Storyline: Rematch of a second-round series from two years ago, when the Celtics survived in seven games on their way to the NBA championship. Even if this one doesn’t go as long, it should be just as spirited, since James acknowledged after the last meeting: “We don’t like them. They don’t like us.”
Key Matchup I: James vs. Paul Pierce. Their duel in Game 7 of the 2008 series (James scored 45, Pierce 41) was thrilling playoff theater. James hiked his career average against the Celtics this season to 30.9 points per game, passing Michael Jordan (30.7) for best all-time. It’s possible the only thing that can slow him in this series is the sore right elbow that bothered him at the end of the first round. Pierce, who missed one of Cleveland’s wins this season, is still the guy the Celtics go to when they need a clutch basket, and he delivered with his winner in Game 3 of the first round against Miami.
Key Matchup II: Anderson Varejao vs. Glen Davis. Battle of backup big men. Varejao’s energy wears the older Celtics out, and Doc Rivers was quick to cite him as a difference when he had double-doubles in both Cleveland wins. Davis, a villain in Cleveland for delivering the whack to the thumb that knocked out Shaquille O’Neal for two months, swung the opening-round series in Boston’s favor for good when he scored 23 points in place of the suspended Kevin Garnett in Game 2 against the Miami Heat. He has to produce against Cleveland’s deeper front line.
X-Factor: Tony Allen. The swingman sometimes seems the only reliable backcourt choice off a disappointing Boston bench. Probably the Celtics’ best option to defend James, and it would be a huge bonus if he provides some offense at the same time.
Prediction: Cavaliers in 5.
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