NBA – The #2 seed Boston Celtics host the #4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
This series was last year Conference Finals rematch where the Cavs wins 4 games to 1 but this time it would be a different series after both teams made a major change in their roster. This year the Celtics were the better team, but the Cavs have LeBron James.
In the 1st quarter, the Cavaliers take an early lead 7 – 4 but since then it was all Celtics posting a big 32 -11 run to finish the quarter 36 – 18, up with a big 18 points. Celtics able to post their largest lead in the quarter with 21 points behind Al Horford and Jalen Brown hot start while LeBron and the Cavs gone cold.
In the 2nd quarter, the Celtics continue their hot start increasing their lead to 28 points, the largest lead at the half 61 – 33 outscoring the Cavs 25 – 17 to finish the quarter up by 26 points 61 – 35. Celtics Jalen Brown leads all scorers with 18 points and Al Horford with 14 points.
Meanwhile LeBron James was limited into just 7 points at the half after the Celtics played a great defensive on LeBron and the Cavaliers.
In the 3rd quarter, Cavs able to show some sign of coming back in the game after cutting the Celtics lead from 28 points to 14 points, outscoring the Celtics 29 – 17 in the 3rd but still the Celtics domination was too much as the quarter ends 78 – 64 Celtics up by 14 points.
In the 4th quarter, the Celtics made a quick 7 – 0 run that brings back their lead to 21 points after a minor comeback by the Cavs in the 3rd, since then the Celtics control the final quarter, posting their largest lead of the game with 29 points and finished the game up by 25 points to win Game 1,108 – 83.
LeBron James was held into just 15 points, 9 assist and 7 rebounds his lowest output this post season while the Celtics has balance scoring lead by Jaylen Brown, Marcus Morris, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum with 23 points, 21 points, 20 points and 16 points respectively.
This post season the Cavaliers lost Game 1 in round 1 at home against the Pacers by a big margin, in round 2 Cavs rallies back in Game 1 to defeat the Raptors. The one thing in common between the 3 series is that the Cavs starts slows in Game 1 like in this Game 1 loss to the Celtics. If the trend continues for the Cavs, they should win Game 2?
Meanwhile the Boston Celtics remain unbeaten at their home court this post season.
