The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Talk is cheap — but essential to win Game 5
Center says Cavs need to be ready to respond on defense in Boston
Tristan Thompson says communication on defense will be a key for Cleveland in Boston for Game 5.
The Cavaliers know why they failed in the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals, and it is something so easy to change it’s a wonder it took two games to figure it out.
The Cavs when on defense lost track of the Celtics players in both games in Boston, and that led to allowing too many wide open shots. The Cavs were a step slow on offense in both games, too, and consequently lost both games in TD Garden.
Simply put, there was a failure to communicate in Games 1 and 2.
But the problem was resolved. The Cavs won both games in Cleveland, and now the Cavs and Celtics are getting set for Game 5 at 8:30 p.m. May 23 in what has been reduced to a best-of-three series.
“We just didn’t communicate,” Cavs center Tristan Thompson said after the Cavaliers won Game 4, 111-102. “We weren’t talking. I think we did a great job preparing, but at the same time when the game starts, they’re going to throw different wrinkles in the game, and we’ve got to be ready to respond. We didn’t do that Game 1 and 2.
“I think it’s a matter of where you’re going to play. Both crowds are going to be loud. Obviously Cleveland’s crowds are louder, just because you’ve got to go with the home team. But I think that’s the key for us. We’re starting to talk. I think it’s multiple efforts. When you’re playing hard and you’re communicating, it makes it much easier on the defensive end.”
The Celtics shot 51.2 percent in Game 1 in a 108-83 romp. The Cavs communicated a little better defensively in Game 2; the Celtics’ shooting percentage dropped to 43.5 percent and the score was closer, 107-94, but the Celtics still won.
The communication got even better for the Cavaliers in Game 3; they rolled, 11686, while the Celtics shot a meager 39.2 percent. The Celtics were slightly better in Game 4, hitting on 41.2 percent of their shots, but the Cavaliers prevailed, 111102.
Just as the Cavaliers were encouraged by playing better in Game 2 than in Game 1, Celtics coach Brad Stevens believes his team still has fight in it despite the momentum shift to the Cavaliers. The Celtics are 9-0 at in TD Garden in the playoffs this postseason.
The Cavaliers showed in a sweep of the Raptors they can win playoff games on the road. Whether it is Game 5 or Game 7 on May 27, they will have to win at least once in Boston to get to a fourth straight NBA Finals.
“Ultimately, anybody that didn’t think this was going to be tough — I mean, everything is tough,” Ste- vens said. “In this deal, it’s a blast to have to grit your teeth, get up off the mat and go after it again.
“That’s part of it. That’s part of what makes these guys on both sides special. It’s part of what makes the Western Conference teams special. They’re able to do it. They’re able to block out everything that doesn’t matter and go compete. That’s what we’ll go do.”
The winner of Game 5 will have the chance to clinch the conference championship in Game 6.