Boston cleveland game 6

Boston are now at home in these Playoffs, and to go against them in Game 4 was perhaps a little silly of us. The home team is both straight up and ATS in the Eastern Conference Finals, and none of those games have been close with the smallest margin 9 points, and the average being 18 points. Boston are only ATS in their 7 road playoff games with their only win coming in OT in Philadelphia, and with Lebron putting his consecutive record of 7 straight NBA Finals appearances on the line tonight, you can be sure that he will bring it.

However we do think the Cleveland will get over the line, just. Sign in. Forgot your password? Get help. Though James' unassertiveness was most notable, neither Antawn Jamison nor Mo Williams could generate anything against the Celtics' smart defense. For some reason, LeBron just wasn't himself. He wasn't aggressive, tenacious or intense, and his teammates followed his lead. While his elbow is strained and bruised, it's no excuse. His form waist up looks fine on his free throws and jumpers.

I also don't think the pressure got to him. He has played in high-pressure games several times and typically comes up big. There's no way he cracked. I'm not sure he's ever played with a significant injury before and it's clearly affecting him.

But here's the other part nobody is talking about: Boston scored points! The Celtics aren't even a good offensive team, so there's no way they should be scoring this easily on Cleveland.

Was that coach Mike Brown's way of making up for the Game 4 benching of Shaq? I've never seen LeBron so uninvolved in the offense, but Boston and its D have to get some of that credit. The Celtics got the ball out of his hands and kept it out. The reality, though, is that finding a way to be effective when you're hurt is something we expect the greats to do, fair or not. Steve Nash just showed us the blueprint Sunday night with that one-eyed determination to finish San Antonio off when he had the chance, lest his longtime Spurs tormentors sniff even a hint of new playoff life.

For all the valid concerns about the Cavs' shaky chemistry and the long-standing criticism of Mike Brown's offense and ability to in-game improvise, LeBron could have played way harder in Game 5. Even with a bad elbow. David Thorpe, Scouts Inc.

Often when a team's best player is hurt, he hopes his teammates can step up and carry him for a change. This looked to be the case on Tuesday. LeBron knew he was not going to be able to play effectively and looked as if he was waiting for someone else to step up. Adding to his problems was a Celtics team extremely well-prepared to make things difficult on him, while getting into an offensive flow at the same time.

Few, if any, teams could have beaten that team on Tuesday. Sign-and-trade him for Chucky Atkins already! Adande: As I've explained in greater detail , one night can't define his career when he has extraordinarily high-level years left. There's no reason 3-for in Game 5 has to take precedence over in Game 3 unless you believe the only game that matters is the last one.

Arnovitz: We have a funny way of defining careers. If the Cavs lose this series, Game 5 will become a major plot point in James' story as a pro.

But even recognizing the import of Tuesday night's game, it's misguided to look at James' entire body of work and indict him for a rare awful performance.

However you gauge James' performance, he has an alluring challenge ahead of him between now and Sunday -- the task of carrying his team to the conference finals against the odds. That achievement would reduce Game 5 to a footnote. Broussard: Not just an off night. This was worse; he wasn't just off, he was disengaged. But career-defining? He's got a long way to go, and he'll overcome this. Hollinger: It's a career-defining game only if the Cavs lose the series. If they win, the story becomes his response to such a bad game.

Sheridan: Just an off night, but with the potential to be one of his career-defining games since it may have been his last home game in Cleveland, and it was such a stinker they'll talk about it there for decades. If Game 6 goes Cleveland's way, Game 5 goes down as a hiccup. He'll be judged on Game 7. Which seems highly unlikely.

LeBron has way too much talent and ages left in his career to leave us with so many other memories. This series will certainly be remembered forever if he ends up leaving the Cavs this summer, but the NFL mentality routinely applied to NBA analysis in the 21st century -- which is to say that we quickly veer into crisis mode as if this were a one-game-a-week league -- is offset by the fact that memories are shorter than ever.

Magic Johnson had to live with being called Tragic Johnson after the Finals, but who would even remember that now if they didn't bring it up on HBO's fantastic recent documentary about Magic and Larry Bird?

Thorpe: I subscribe to "Rule of 1" in sports. That is, one game, week, month or season can never be the whole story. Even if LeBron were totally healthy, which seems impossible, one bad game cannot erase all that he has accomplished in his career. I've broken down dozens of his playoff games and been amazed by his consistent excellence, up to and including some games just last week.

If his elbow is any better, he's going to be extremely dangerous in Game 6. Abbott: Stop giving Rajon Rondo so much room to operate! It may goad him into some jumpers, but it's also making everything easy for him.

While their fans may want them to lose as many games as possible to help their lottery chances, the Cavs wouldn't consider tanking. I didn't want to feel that. Winning is definitely more fun. It was Boston's first road game since losing Brown with a torn wrist ligament. His absence is a devastating blow to the club's playoff chances, which were looking shaky in recent weeks anyway.

The Celtics have plenty of talent, but there seems to be missing something. With playoff positioning on the line, and in need of a confidence boost after a rough stretch, the Celtics were also without Walker knee management and Smart bruised calf , leaving Tatum to carry too much of the offensive load. The Cavs have dealt with their own injury issues and were without several key players, including starting point guard Darius Garland.

He missed his seventh straight game with a sprained ankle. Love's two 3s helped the Cavs open an lead, and after the Celtics got within seven, he and Sexton hit consecutive long-range shots to put Cleveland ahead The No. He finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. He's a great teammate,'' said Cavs coach J. Bickerstaff, who appreciated Thompson's leadership and work ethic. He's a guy who this city embraced, obviously, part of a rebuild all the way to a championship.

He was there the entire way. His style is respected and appreciated. The home finale was also a send-off for Cavs center Anderson Varejao and assistant coach Lindsay Gottlieb. Varejao signed a day contract with the Cavs last week to finish season, returning for a farewell after he spent plus seasons with Cleveland. Celtics: Coach Brad Stevens said even if Boston was still in the hunt for a higher playoff spot that Walker would not have played.

He has sat the second game of back-to-backs all season. C Robert Williams received a cortisone injection in his turf toe injury Monday. Stevens said the team is being cautious with the big man, hoping he'll be available for the postseason.

Cavaliers: In a season of few positives, Garland was a bright spot. The second-year guard averaged Beyond that, he showed a better understanding of what it takes to be an NBA point guard. Finished , coming in at home. Celtics: At Minnesota on Saturday. Tatum scored a career-high 53 in Boston's overtime win against Minnesota on April 9. Wed May. ML: Time Team Play Score Tristan Thompson vs. Jarrett Allen Collin Sexton gains possession.

Collin Sexton turnover bad pass Tristan Thompson steals. Jayson Tatum misses two point jump shot. Jarrett Allen defensive rebound. Jarrett Allen makes two point jump shot Isaac Okoro assists.

Aaron Nesmith misses three point jump shot. Kevin Love makes three point jump shot Collin Sexton assists. Jarrett Allen shooting foul Aaron Nesmith draws the foul. Aaron Nesmith makes regular free throw 1 of 2. Aaron Nesmith makes regular free throw 2 of 2. Kevin Love misses three point jump shot. Aaron Nesmith defensive rebound. Tremont Waters turnover bad pass Kevin Love steals. Jayson Tatum blocks Collin Sexton's two point layup. Search Advanced search…. New posts. Search forums. Log in.

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