Tag Archives: Cavaliers

Marcus Smart is Already Making Enemies

1 Reply

Marcus Smart is already in midseason form.

The physical guard is notorious for his brash manner on the court, and Saturday’s preseason game was no different. While most Bostonians were watching the Red Sox game, the Celtics faced the Cavaliers in their final preseason matchup. While the Celtics were outplayed throughout the entire game, one moment stood out in particular: the fight between Marcus Smart and J.R. Smith.

What happened

Early in the contest, Aron Baynes and Smith were locked in a fierce battle underneath the hoop as Terry Rozier dribbled the ball on the perimeter. The contest between the two escalated and ended with Baynes and Smith spinning around with locked arms. Smith shoved Baynes hard in the back towards the hoop. As players came to break them up, Smart charged towards Smith and shoved him in the head. The two nearly came to blows before Ante Zizic came in between the two. Smart had to be quite literally tackled to the floor by both Rozier AND Jayson Tatum.

The Aftermath

Smart was ejected from the game, while Smith received just a technical foul. Had he been able to get away from Tatum and Rozier, he most certainly would have been suspended. It’s possible he faces sitting some games anyway, as he was clearly prepared to throw punches at JR Smith. After the conclusion of the game, Smith had a series of tweets directed towards Smart:

Marcus Smart then told the media his side of the story, saying “it is what it is” and telling Smith, “meet me in the back…You know where I’m at.”

Smith had words to say about that, too. He tweeted about the video, “Meet me on the street damn the back!” He then followed up with a third tweet, saying “better keep this s*** bout basketball”.

Smart has never been afraid to defend his teammates, no matter the opponent. Celtics fans surely love to see his competitive spirit out on the court, though it may sometimes lead to consequences for him.

The Celtics play the Cavs again on November 30th, folks. Mark your calendars for Smart-Smith round 2.

Looking Back at the Kyrie Irving Trade

Leave a reply

One year ago today the Celtics and Cavaliers pulled off a blockbuster trade. Kyrie Irving requested a trade from Cleveland, and Danny Ainge pulled off another heist a few weeks later. The Celtics traded Jae Crowder, Isaiah Thomas, Ante Zizic, a 2018 1st round draft pick (Collin Sexton was later selected) and a 2020 2nd round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving. (2020 2nd-rd pick from BOS to CLE is MIA’s pick, and was added as compensation for Isaiah Thomas’s injury). Letā€™s take a look back at each playerā€™s last 365 days.

Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving did not disappoint in his first year in Boston. He averaged 24.4 points, 5.1 assists, shot 49.1% from the field and showed improvement on the defensive side of the floor. After Gordon Hayward went out on opening night, Irving proved that he can lead a team by himself. He was obviously the second option in Cleveland but shined as the man in control in Boston. He worked very well with Al Horford and did a great job getting Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown involved in the offense. These were simply things IT could not accomplish in Boston. He needed the ball in his hands and is not nearly as good of a facilitator as Irving.

However, everything took a turn for the worst on March 11th against the Pacers. He suffered a knee injury, which led to surgery that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. The Celtics ending up falling in seven games to the Cavs and the consensus opinion is that the Celtics would have won that series if Kyrie were playing. Kyrie will be back for the Celtics next year, but rumors about his upcoming free agency next summer are already swirling. The Celtics need to resign Irving next year to ensure that they win the trade.

Maddy Meyer

Jae Crowder

Crowder averaged 8.6 points and 3.3 total rebounds per game with Cleveland. These numbers were a step down from his final season with the Celtics. The Cavs made the decision to flip Crowder to Utah before the trade deadline when they blew everything up and completely revamped their roster. Crowder ended up shining alongside Donovan Mitchell in Quin Snyder’s system. Crowder improved in points per game, rebounds, and assists while he was with the Jazz. However, the biggest knock on him is that he wasnā€™t very efficient. He got worse in field goal%, three-point%, two point%, and effective field goal%. In Boston, Crowder took a lot more shots than he should have which led to distaste between him and the fans.

Isaiah Thomas

It has been an interesting 365 days for Isaiah Thomas. He was on the Celtics, then traded to the Cavs, flipped to the Lakers, and signed the veteran minimum with Denver. After being out until January with a hip injury, IT played in just 15 games with the Cavs. It was a disaster. His style of play and personality just did not fit with LeBron’s. They are both egomaniacs and need the ball in their hands at all times. Thomas was hated by Cavs fans during that time, and clubhouse craziness was reported.

LeBron James, the former owner, coach, and general manager of the Cavs traded Thomas to the Lakers as part of the roster overhaul at the trade deadline. Thomas settled in nicely and played well off the bench. He averaged 15.6 points and exactly five assists in 17 games played. The offseason and free agency process were very frustrating for Thomas. After telling the Celtics to back up the Brinks truck, he ended up signing a one year, two million deal with Denver.

Collin Sexton

The biggest unknown in this deal is rookie guard Collin Sexton. He was selected eighth overall in this year’s draft. Sexton was a superstar at Alabama and single-handedly dragged Alabama to the round of 32 before they were stopped by eventual champion Villanova. Sexton is a rookie, so nobody really knows what the Cavs are getting. He could be a franchise-altering player or a bust. He is all the Cavs have left over from the trade, so it is up to him to save the deal. To make the deal a win for the Cavs, Sexton has to be better than Kyrie and win championships in Cleveland. He needs to fill the shoes that Kyrie left in Cleveland

Bottom Line

So far, it is obvious that the Celtics won the trade. Irving was great in his first year. The Cavs got rid of two of the three main pieces of the deal, and now they are counting on Sexton. If Sexton is better than Kyrie, then the Cavs will win the trade. Should Kyrie stay in Boston and wins championships, the Celtics will remain winners of the trade. If Kyrie leaves in free agency and Sexton does not turn into a superstar, then the trade is a wash. It is possible that Ante Zizic or the second round pick turns into something, but that is extremely unlikely. If Crowder and Thomas shine on their new teams, Cleveland may regret shipping them out.

Celtics

LeBron Struck First, but the Celtics Got the Last Laugh

Leave a reply

Grit, determination, and a never quit attitude. Those are traits the Celtics have embodied all season long, and everything the team exemplified in Game 2.Ā  After a hard-fought battle the Boston Celtics pulled away late for a 107-94 victory and a 2-0 series lead. LeBron’s monster game proved not quite enough, as the Celtics attacked the Cavaliers with a huge team effort.

The Cavaliers started the game with revitalized energy after inserting big man Tristan Thompson into the starting lineup in place of Kyle Korver. Thompson did a good job of locking down the pick and roll early on. He managed to disrupt the C’s offensive flow, forcing them into some tough looks.

LeBron James poured in a whopping 21 points in the first quarter, the most points in any quarter in any playoff game of his career. He added four threes on 8-13 shooting, but the rest of the Cavs shot 3-11 for a total of six points in the frame. LeBron finished the night with 42 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds.

Bringing LeBron to a Halt

If it wasnā€™t for the valiant efforts of Jaylen Brown, the Cavs could have ran away with it early. Jaylen led the charge with 14 points in the first quarter, finishing with a team high 23 to go along with seven rebounds and three assists.

Jayson Tatum picked up where Jaylen left off. He started the second quarter with nine quick points to keep the team afloat as LeBron continued to stay hot. Towards the end of the quarter,Ā LeBron took a hard shot to the jaw and had to leave the floor to get checked out. He was quickly cleared to play and returned before the end of the period. Meanwhile, the Cavs built their lead up to double digits for the first time in the series. Marcus Smart made some big plays with under a minute left in the quarter and the Celtics trimmed the Cavalier lead to seven.

It Takes a Village

Terry Rozier was the hot hand in the third. He overcame a rocky start by producing 14 points on his way to an 18 point and five rebound night. The momentum started to shift in favor of the Celtics, as the team dominated the period in the open floor. TheyĀ barragedĀ the Cavs with 36 points in the quarter while creating havoc on the defensive side of the ball. Marcus Morris was huge, hitting a tough and one with 5:14 to play in the quarter to tie the game up. He took a moment to wave his hands in the air, gesturing the garden faithful to their feet as the crowd roared with en electric energy.

Less than a minute later Marcus Smart canned a three from the top of the arch to give the Celtics their first lead since 3-2. It became a lead they would not relinquish.

Marcus Smart was absolutely crucial in the second half. He provided an adrenaline shot of energy that infected the whole team. Smart gave the Celtics all the momentum necessary to continue pouring in basket after basket, relentlessly attacking the teeth of the Cavalier defense. He finished with 11 points, nine assists, five rebounds, four steals, and a team high +/- of +21.

Playoff Al

Smartā€™s efforts must have particularly affected Al Horford. After an eight point and five rebound fourth quarter, Al put the Cavaliers to rest. He finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the game.

Horford’s biggest moment came with just under four minutes to go. After Al set a pick and rolled for an alley-oop. J,R. Smith gave him a shove in the back on the way up. Consequently, Smith got issued a Flagrant 1 on the play.Ā Horford hit both free throws and on the ensuing possession tacked three more to put the Celtics up 12. All hopes of a comeback were all but over for the Cavs.

It was a team effort fueled victory for the Celtics. Four different players stepped up and led the team in scoring in each quarter for the game. The team also did a great job of handling the ball, giving up only eight turnovers to the Cavaliersā€™ 15.

The Cavs gave LeBron a bit more help in the game, mostly from fellow All-Star Kevin Love, who produced a 22 point and 15 rebound double double. Tristan Thompson finished with an eight point and seven rebound effort, and Kyle Korver gave the team 11 points off the bench.

A True Competitor

After the game Brad Stevens gushed about Marcus Smart and what he brings to the table for the team. ā€œHeā€™s as tough as they come. A true competitor. He matches his intensity with a physical toughness. We are really glad he is on our teamā€. Marcus Smart continues to be the hot glue guy for this Celtics team. The Celtics have gone an impressive 8-2 since inserting him back into the lineup. He seems to never fail to make the big plays down the stretch of games, not afraid of any moment and willing to bump and scrape to win every possession.Ā 

Stevens finished his press conference stating that the team will, ā€œhave to be tougher and even more resilient as we move to Cleveland”.

History will be on the their side, as the team is 37-0 after leading a best of seven series 2-0.

Game 3 will take place Saturday night at 8:30 pm. The Celtics will look to take a commanding 3-0 lead as LeBron will do anything to claw the Cavaliers back into the series.

The Cavaliers Playing Dirty

Leave a reply

The Cavaliers are playing hardball. In my opinion, they are playing dirty. In trade talks between the Cavs and Celtics, Boston was reportedly forthcoming with all medical information on Isaiah Thomas. The two teams agreed to a trade. Ā The Celtics would send the Brooklyn Nets first-round pick next season along with Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder and Ante Zizic to Cleveland in exchange for Kyrie Irving. The two teams forged the agreement based on the understanding of the health of Thomasā€™ hip.

During Game One of the 2017 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 17, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Faulty Memory?

A couple days after the trade, news leaked that the Cavaliers had concerns with Isaiah Thomasā€™ hip. Reports said they might ask for more compensation in the trade. They already had the information when they agreed upon the above deal, which, come on, is quite a nice haul.

This is where I believe the Cavaliers are playing dirty, using the media to their advantage. They knew the condition of Thomasā€™ hip when they made the deal. They decided to go through with the agreement and then leak this information to the media a few days later to put pressure on the Celtics. The Celtics fan base was stoked at bringing Kyrie Irving on board. What would happen if the trade didn’t go through? Cleveland knew they would have Danny Ainge in a bind. Hence my opinion that they planned to squeeze as much out of the Celtics as they could.

In the end, the Celtics should not cave. They canā€™t let the Cavaliers bully them into adding more to a trade that was already incredibly fair. If adding a second-round pick will do it, thatā€™s okay. Reports of Cleveland wanting Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum added to the deal belong in the circular file.