NBA playoffs: Thompson time for Cavaliers

Getting outscored 60-38 in the paint in Game 1 should have been enough to convince Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue to make a change.

Al Horford making 7-of-8 from the field when guarded by Kevin Love should have been enough to show Lue that what worked in the Eastern Conference semifinal sweep of the Toronto Raptors isn’t the right plan for the Boston Celtics.

But in his final answer Monday, Lue dropped an analytical nugget that revealed he’s likely to start centre Tristan Thompson, a Brampton native, in Tuesday night’s Game 2 against the Celtics.

“Looking at the statistics, over the last three years with at least 30 possessions defending him, out of all the guys that have guarded Al Horford, Tristan is No. 1 in the league,” Lue said during practice at TD Garden. “So, that’s a good, you know?”

Thompson has made just one 2018 post-season start — Game 7 of the first round against the Indiana Pacers — and he responded with 15 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes. Seeing action in nine of 12 playoff games, Thompson is averaging 5.2 points and 5.1 rebounds, with 24 of his 46 boards coming on the offensive end.

In Sunday’s 108-83 loss to the Celtics at TD Garden, Thompson scored eight points, making 4-of-6 shots, with 11 rebounds (four offensive) in 21 minutes.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens called Thompson “a tough player to guard,” and “a great fit for that team.” Stevens said Thompson’s play in the Raptors series was “tremendous,” which points mostly to his efficiency.

Despite injuries and his diminished role this season with Love starting at centre, Thompson, 27, still has post-season averages of 7.8 points and 8.8 rebounds. He’s ready to take on Horford, 31, a five-time all-star with the Atlanta Hawks and Celtics.

“Horford’s a very good player,” Thompson said. “If you can’t get up to play all-star bigs, then I have nothing to tell you. Whenever you go against him, we’ve had a history, especially in Atlanta with him and Paul Millsap, with Chicago, Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol, those are all-star bigs that are very good players. For me, a guy that wants to keep getting better and keep proving myself, you get up for those games.”