Eastern Conference Finals Game 2
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics (May 18, 20:30 GMT+8)
The biggest man on the Boston Celtics roster is also its smallest, and he needs to win one at home.
After the Celtics’ poor display in Game 1, many betting websites began listing them off as the next casualties on the Cavalier hit list. Some even go as far as giving the Cavs a -5.50 Asian Handicap for 1.96. However, Thomas said that the Cavs aren’t the Monstars from the 1996 film Space Jam and believes that they are beatable.
In order for them to beat the betting tips against them, the first thing on their to-do list is defensive adjustments. Stopping LeBron James from doing whatever he wants is a must for them to win Game 2. The image of him soaring while Thomas clings to him for a block attempt beautifully summarised how the Eastern Conference Finals have been so far.
I’m not sure how Brad Stevens would make the adjustments, but I imagine Kelly Olynyk, Jae Crowder and Gerald Green taking shifts while James is on the floor. If they are able to distract No23 even for a little bit, I believe they have a chance of winning this.
The second player they need to take care of is Kevin Love. Love’s 32-point performance in Game 1 killed any chances of Thomas and company from coming back. They need to be physical with the former UCLA Bruin and keep him out of the Cavs’ plays. I just hope Olynyk doesn’t have to resort to dislocating his shoulders again.
Kyrie Irving is the third item on their list. They managed to mum his contributions in Game 1, but count on Tyronn Lue to make tweaks to address that. The Boston backcourt will be busy trying to contain Irving for the second time.
Finally, Thomas and the rest of the Celtics need to score buckets. IT had an appalling 37% shooting percentage in Game 1 and will need to take better shots. The bench also needs to score some baskets in order to counter Cleveland’s deep bench. Al Horford also needs to make his presence felt at the five spot in order to space the floor for the guards.
Boston have a lot of things to correct, but I believe in the talents of Stevens and Thomas. They will still be able to keep the game closer than the first game. I still don’t see them winning against the Cavs, however. Celtics fans who believe in their team should feel comfortable punting for the C’s with a +5.00 Asian Handicap for 2.05.
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
