Cavaliers’ playoff rivalry with Celtics goes back to 1976

Some of the players who shaped the course of the playoff series between the Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are instantly familiar only to fans of a certain age.

That group includes John Havlicek, Jim Chones, Bill Fitch, Dave Cowens, Austin Carr, Tom Heinsohn, JoJo White, Jim Cleamons, Charlie Scott, Paul Silas, Larry Bird, George Karl, K.C Jones, World B. Free., Kevin McHale, Phil Hubbard and Robert Parish.

More fans have keen memories of series that were showcases for Brad Daugherty, Reggie Lewis, Hot Rod Williams, Lenny Wilkens, Chris Ford, Mark Price, Kevin Gamble and Larry Nance.

The vast majority of fans are conversant with the postseason accomplishments of LeBron James, Paul Pierce, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Mo Williams, Rajon Rondo, Mike Brown, Doc Rivers, Kyrie Irving, Jae Crowder, Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Marcus Smart, Tyronn Lue, Brad Stevens, Isaiah Thomas, Kyle Korver and Jaylen Brown.

A new chapter of this history is about to unfold as the teams square off in the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight year. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is set for May 13 at TD Garden. Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m.

Boston got here by surviving a scare from Milwaukee in the first round, winning the series, 4-3. The Celtics had an easier time of it in the Eastern Conference semifinals, beating Philadelphia, 4-1.

The Cavs also were pushed to the limit in the first round by Indiana before eliminating the Pacers in seven games. They followed with an impressive sweep of the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

There have been seven previous playoff series between the Cavs and Celtics. The Celtics have a 4-3 lead in series victories, the Cavs a 20-18 edge in victories.

Here is a look back at those series.

2017 Eastern Conference finals; Cavs win, 4-1.

The Celtics had no answer for James, Irving and Love in a series that was easier for the victors than many observers predicted. They combined for 155 points as the Cavs won Games 1 and 2 in Boston by a combined 57 points.

Boston caused a bit of a stir by winning Game 3 in Cleveland, but the Cavs bounced back to win Game 4 at Quicken Loans Arena, 112-99.

They closed out the series in Boston decisively in Game 5, 135102. James, Irving and Love combined for 167 of the 247 points notched by the Cavs in Games 4 and 5.

Cleveland was beaten in the NBA Finals by Golden State, 4-1.

2015, Eastern Conference first round, Cavs win, 4-0

If you’re a Cavs fan, the lingering memory of this series is Love running off the floor late in Game 4, seconds after having his left shoulder pulled out of its socket by Boston’s Kelly Olynyk on a scramble for a loose ball. If you’re a Boston fan, you remember the retaliatory pick by Cavs center Kendrick Perkins that sent Crowder to the floor and triggered a shoving match. James dominated in the first playoff series of his second stint with the Cavs. He and Irving took turns breaking down Boston’s defense when each of the games reached winning time.

The Cavs, minus Love and Irving, lost to Golden State in the NBA Finals, 4-2.

2010 Eastern Conference semifinals, Celtics win, 4-2

Two years removed from winning an NBA title, the Celtics’ Pierce, Allen and Garnett still had firepower enough to thwart the Cavs.

The crusher for the Cavs was a 120-88 home loss in Game 5. James played poorly in that game, scoring 15 points while missing 11 of 14 shots from the field. Two months later, he exercised free agency and signed with the Miami Heat.

2008 Eastern Conference semifinals, Celtics win, 4-3

Home-court advantage proved decisive in this rugged series that pitted a veteran Boston team built to win an NBA title against an upstart Cavs team anchored by James. The Cavs had made it to the NBA Finals the previous season. The series came down to a classic scoring duel in Game 7 at Boston between James, who finished with 45 points, and Pierce, who had 41 points. The Celtics held off a late charge to secure a 97-92 victory.

Boston advanced to the NBA Finals and beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 4-2.

1992 Eastern Conference semifinals, Cavs win, 4-3

This was a formidable Cavs team anchored by Brad Daugherty, Mark Price and Larry Nance taking on an aging but still determined Celtics team that featured Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and emerging star Reggie Lewis.

Boston pushed the Cavs to the limit, falling in Game 7 at the Richfield Coliseum, 122-104. Injuries had reduced Bird to a shell of his former self on the floor. Fans who were there that day watched the future Hall of Famer play the final game of his 13-year career. Lewis died 14 months later of heart disease.

The Cavs, as was their custom in that era, were beaten in the Eastern Conference finals by the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls, 4-2.

1985 Eastern Conference first round, Celtics win, 3-1

Not much was expected of the Cavs against a powerhouse Boston outfit anchored by Bird that had won two NBA titles in the previous four years. However, the scrappy team coached by George Karl that was just a few years removed from the debacle of Ted Stepien’s ownership made the Celtics labor mightily to win the required three games in the bestof-five series.

1976 Eastern Conference finals, Celtics win, 4-1

One of the great what-ifs in Cleveland sports history was produced by the Cavs’ first trip to the playoffs since joining the NBA as an expansion team in 1970.

What if Cavs starting center Jim Chones had not suffered a season-ending broken bone in his foot at practice two days before the start of the series? Would the Cavs have been able to continue the “Miracle of Richfield” that began with a pulse-pounding, 4-3 series win over Washington in the first round of the playoffs?

The Celtics went on to win the NBA title, beating the Phoenix Suns in six games.