Celtics Crush Cavs, Win Game 1 in Boston
The Boston Celtics destroyed the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, winning 108-83 on Mother’s Day.
The Celtics came out of the gate firing and never looked back. They dropped 36 in the first quarter and built their lead to as much as 28 points in the first half. LeBron and Co. attempted to mount a comeback late in the third quarter. J.R. Smith hit a buzzer beater jumper to cut the deficit to 14 before the fourth. That was as close as they would come; the Celtics put their foot back on the gas pedal and cruised to the victory.
Cleveland Flounders Offensively
LeBron James, coming off a series sweep against the Raptors, struggled mightily this afternoon. Marcus Morris covered him most of the game, and it worked.. He had just 15 points on 5 for 16 shooting, and accounted for seven of the team’s nine turnovers. He finished with a plus/minus of -32. The rest of the team was no better, shooting 36% from the field. This included a dismal 4 of 26 from behind the three point arc. Kevin Love led the team in scoring with 17. He was followed by James and Rodney Hood with 11 and Jordan Clarkson with 10. The stifling Celtics defense was hard at work, rotating beautifully all day on switches and screens and closing out well on almost every single shot.
Boston Has a Great Day Shooting
The boys from Boston also flourished on the offensive end. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 23 points on 9-16 shooting. Marcus Morris had an enormous day, which started with getting the call to start. It finished with him gathering a double-double, collecting 21 points and ten rebounds. Al Horford contributed 20 points along with six assists and four rebounds, meanwhile Jayson Tatum added 16. “Scary Terry” Rozier only had eight points, but it didn’t seem to matter as the Celtics continually outplayed the Cavs. The team shot 51% from the field and 37% from deep.
Pundits and fans alike have counted the Celtics out time and again this year, but the team does not care. This afternoon was just another example of the resilient squad defying expectations. The Celtics go up 1-0 in the series, and head into their next game on Tuesday night with lots of momentum. It will be interesting to see how Cleveland adjusts when the two teams meet again, and if the Celtics can stay in the driver’s seat.
