Well, it’s win or go home for the home team tonight and win and punch your ticket to the NBA Finals for the road team.
Without Isaiah Thomas for the Celtics, it will take everything they have as a team to slow down LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
What things should you be watching for tonight? Expect Kevin Love to have another brilliant game, the Celtics not going down easy, but ultimately LeBron James crushing the hearts’ of Boston.
Kevin Love’s Consistency
Kevin Love has been flying under the radar in the playoffs, especially in the Eastern Conference Finals, but he’s a huge part to the Cavs’ success.
So far in the playoffs, Love is averaging a double-double with 17.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, while also shooting 48 percent from behind the three-point line.
More specifically, he is having a great Conference Finals. He is averaging 24.5 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, and shooting an incredible 56 percent from behind the three-point line.
If the Cavs want to close out the series tonight, and have success against the Warriors in the NBA Finals, then Love must be a huge part of the team’s offense. If they can go to him early and then consistently throughout the game, they have a really good chance moving forward.
Celtics’ Fight
The series hasn’t been pretty for the Celtics, but one thing will remain true; their fans will never not back this team. Once Isaiah Thomas went down due to injury the air was taken out of the balloon.
With that being said, many thought that this would be a clean and easy sweep for the Cavs, but the Celtics managed to steal game three in Cleveland.
The one thing Celtics’ fans can cling to for hope is the series shifting back to Boston for game five. And, IF possible (that’s a big IF), they can get the series to a game seven, it will also be in Boston.
The guy that has to step up for the C’s, now without Thomas, is Avery Bradley. So far, in this series, he’s only averaging 18.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game and is struggling shooting the ball (39 percent from the field, 25 percent from three).
LeBron Is Going to LeBron
LeBron James’ is probably mad that his team is still playing in the Eastern Conference Finals and not getting ready for the NBA Finals, but I’m sure he will take it.
He’s having an absolute monster playoffs this year and this series is no different. He’s averaging 28.3 points, 6 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game, all while shooting 55 percent from the field.
A couple areas that need improving are his three-point and free-throw shooting. He’s averaging 27 percent from the three-point line and 68 percent from the free-throw line.
Overall
The Celtics may be able to steal another game, this time at home, in game five, but don’t expect them to take the series. Kevin Love and LeBron James are playing too well right now.
The Cavs are looking to secure their spot in the NBA Finals rematch agains the Warriors that almost everyone wants to see.
No matter the outcome of tonight’s game, expect to see one thing for sure; the Boston Celtics’ fans will show up and be louder than they ever have been with their team’s season on the line.
