Cleveland radio host says Cavaliers are ‘scared’ of going through Celtics
Boston Celtics
“They do not wish to play Boston within the second spherical as a result of they’re scared.”
The Cavaliers haven’t made it previous the second spherical of the playoffs because the Warriors swept them within the 2018 NBA Finals.
They’ve endured a second-round exit every of the final two postseasons, with the sooner one coming by the hands of the Celtics in 2024.
With the ultimate week of the regular-season right here, groups are competing for playoff seeding. The Cavs are at present fourth, and the Celtics are in second.
Cleveland is one recreation again of the Knicks for the No.3 seed. In the event that they had been to move the Knicks and win their first-round sequence, it may arrange a possible rematch with the Celtics within the second spherical this yr.
That’s not the specified end result for the Cavs, in line with an ESPN Cleveland radio host
“They need the 4 seed, not the No. 3 seed,” ESPN Cleveland’s Andrew Goldhammer mentioned. “They don’t wish to play Boston within the second spherical as a result of they’re scared.”
The Celtics have received 10 of their final 12 video games. Jayson Tatum has begun to work by a few of his taking pictures struggles, taking pictures 46 p.c from the sphere over his final three video games.
Jaylen Brown continues to be a potent scoring risk, main the workforce in factors in 9 of the final 11 video games. The Celtics’ core is battle-tested, and so they’ve additionally loved an infusion of youthful power from their bench contributors.
The Celtics swept the three-game regular-season sequence with Cleveland. The Cavs have been taking part in nicely, successful eight of their final 10.
However, because the regular-season attracts to an in depth, Goldhammer appears satisfied that the Cavs will do what they will to remain in that fourth seed and keep away from a possible matchup with the Celtics so long as attainable.
Conserving the No. 4 seed would make a matchup with the top-seeded Pistons extra probably for Cleveland. They wouldn’t face the Celtics till the Convention Finals if each groups made it that far.
Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, and Dean Wade missed the Cavs’ matchup with the Pacers on Sunday.
Cleveland has 4 video games left within the common season.
“The Cavs are banged up,” Goldhammer mentioned. “The Cavs don’t know who their beginning lineup ought to be, as admitted by their coach.”
“They don’t know who ought to be of their rotation and who shouldn’t be, however they’re going to spike a bunch of video games down the stretch as a result of they’re simply afraid of Boston, and I’m positive they’ll simply be able to go in time for the playoffs.”
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