After surprisingly dropping Game 3 at home, the Cleveland Cavaliers righted the ship and are on the verge of advancing to the NBA Finals for the third straight season if they can beat the Boston Celtics on the road in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. LeBron James is looking to get back on track with a dominant game, and Kyrie Irving is looking to build on his massive performance in Game 4. Can Boston stay alive and force a Game 6, or will Cleveland secure another conference crown. Here's a preview and prediction for tonight's game.
Game Info:
When: 8:30 P.M. ET
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
TV: TNT
Spread: Cavs (-9.5)
O/U: 215
What They're Saying About The Cleveland Cavaliers:
Cavaliers notebook: LeBron James, poised to pass Michael Jordan as playoff scoring leader, says G.O.A.T. argument ‘great for barbershops’ (Akron Beacon Journal)
Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving's will to win is off the charts: DMan talks on 92.3 (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
LeBron James Says Pursuit of Michael Jordan's Legacy a 'Personal Goal' (Bleacher Report)
What They're Saying About The Boston Celtics:
Are the Boston Celtics Harder to Defend than the Golden State Warriors? (FanSided)
Will the Celtics force a Game 6, or does their season end Thursday? (Boston.com)
Cavs 'expect a lot of fight' from backs-to-the-wall Celtics tonight (Boston Herald)
Key To The Game: LeBron James
The Celtics played arguably their best game of the entire postseason in their Game 3 win, but Cleveland would have won that game easily if LeBron James played anything like he normally does. Then again in Game 4, the Cavs were struggling and losing in the first half when James was in foul trouble.
Yes, Kyrie Irving's play in the third quarter was a huge reason why Cleveland came back and won that game, but that run also coincided with LeBron playing like LeBron again, as he scored 24 points in the second half.
He is the one player that no one else in the league has an answer for, but his playmaking ability and aggressiveness is what makes the Cavs' entire offense go. Richard Jefferson said that LeBron was sick and that was to blame for his poor play, though James seemed to rediscover his focus and aggression in the second half of Game 4. If he plays like his normal self tonight, Cleveland will win easily.
Prediction: Cavs win 108-95
Boston will fight and keep this close. They're a prideful team, and they won't go down at home without putting up a fight. However, as was the case in Game 4, we'll see Cleveland's superior talent outlast the Celtics and overwhelm them at the end.