NBA Playoffs: Cavs Vs. Celtics Match-Up Close
The NBA Playoffs are just around the corner and the Cleveland Cavaliers have played the last two games like they were the 3rd and 4th game in the NFL Pre-Season. Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert sat out first then came 4 of the 5 starters, Irving, J.R. Smith, LeBron James and Kevin Love, yesterday.
The interesting piece of that decision making by coach David Blatt and the Cavs is that both games were against the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are a team fighting for a NBA Playoffs spot and, with the two somewhat easy wins versus the Cavs, have positioned themselves for the 7th seed.
The Cavs have made their decisions mostly because they have wrapped up both the #2 seed and the Central Division. Getting players some rest makes a ton of sense given the age and injury prone nature of the roster.
However, many believe the Cavs had another agenda: Facing the Celtics in the 1st Round of the NBA Playoffs. With their 2 wins over the Cavs, and a few other teams losses, the Celtics magic number to reach the NBA Playoffs AND the #7 seed is 1, according to CBS Sports:
"Everything came up Boston this week. It got two huge wins, and despite LeBron James playing, got through the Cavaliers. LeBron sat Sunday, and the Nets lost, moving the Celtics into the seventh spot and dropping their magic number to one. One more win and they’re in. They’re also a game over the Nets, and have the tiebreaker, so their magic number for the 7th seed and a matchup with Cleveland is one. Kind of a crappy reward for making the playoffs, though. “Hey, here you go, here’s LeBron in a first-round series. Good luck with Marcus Smart and Kelly Olynyk!”"
Of the possible 1st Round match-ups for the Cavaliers, the Celtics seemed to be the best. The Indiana Pacers play a rough style of game that has given the Cavs trouble. The Miami Heat, even with all of their injuries, would be an emotional and physical toll on the Cavs. The Brooklyn Nets, with veteran toughness and talent, would have given the Cavs a much tougher time as well.
The Celtics lack all of what made those other teams seem difficult. They lack toughness, don’t have any emotional connection (unless you consider Tyler Zeller‘s “return”) and have no veteran talent to lead them. They are the perfect team for the Cavs to hopefully sweep out of the NBA Playoffs in the 1st Round and prepare for the 2nd.
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The Cavs likely second round opponent is yet to be determined. The Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors are locked into a tie for the 3rd seed. The Raptors would win the tie breaker, setting them up to face the Cavs in the 2nd Round should they make it that far. The Celtics and Raptors would be the Cavs best case scenario before making it to the Eastern Conference Finals where a date with the Atlanta Hawks is assumed but that the Bulls could surely crash.
NBA Playoffs match-ups are starting to come into focus. What do you think of a Cavs Vs Celtics clash?