At the TD Garden on Sunday, black T-shirts implored the Celtics to “Protect The Parquet” in Game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Boston did just that, smothering LeBron James and company en route to a resounding 108-83 victory.
It was clear from the start that it wasn’t James’s afternoon. With four minutes left in the first quarter, the Cavs star tried to back down Al Horford, but the backbone of the Celtics defense held his ground and forced James into a fadeaway from an impossible angle.
The same turnaround jumper looped over the backboard and dropped in during Game 4 against the Raptors, but on Sunday it clanked off the rim.