NBA Playoffs 2017: Remaining Schedule, Predictions for Conference Finals
This conversation is about the NBA's conference finals.
With the Golden State Warriors moving on and the San Antonio Spurs heading home, we're left with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.
On Tuesday night, the Cavs bounced back from Sunday night's letdown with a 112-99 victory over the Cs, who, in the first half, held a 16-point lead. Kyrie Irving led the way with 42 points, while LeBron James overcame a sluggish first half to rack up 34 points and six assists.
Though Cleveland now owns a 3-1 lead, the first two games of the series were undeniably different than the latter pair. With All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas injured, Boston has found a more free-flowing, defensively aggressive identity.
The Cavaliers can close out the series on the road on Thursday. Do the Celtics have enough to extend it even further?
Viewing Information
| Game 5 | Cavaliers at Celtics | TNT | Thurs., May 25 | 8:30 p.m. ET |
| Game 6* | Celtics at Cavaliers | TNT | Sat., May 27 | 8:30 p.m. ET |
| Game 7* | Cavaliers at Celtics | TNT | Mon., May 29 | 8:30 p.m. ET |
Predictions
More dominance from Tristan Thompson
For the first three games of the series, Cavs big man Tristan Thompson averaged 15 points and eight boards while shooting 81.3 percent from the field.
He was so dominant that The Big Lead's Stephen Douglas was prompted to write a totally series satirical article about trading LeBron and building around Thompson:
Thompson was especially dominant in Game 3, despite Cleveland's collapse. He totaled 18 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. According to the Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach, he let the Celtics know they were too small for him:
In Game 4, though, T.T. was quiet—unusually so. He scored seven points on four field-goal attempts and only got to the line once. In Game 3, he visited the charity stripe over a dozen times, shooting 12-of-15.
VICE Sports' Michael Pina blamed Thompson for James picking up four early fouls on Tuesday:
Still, he was a presence in the paint when needed. Here's NBA Canada with his highlights:
"Tristan Thompson scored 7 points and grabbed 7 boards in the Cavs 112-99 win,#NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/CQs75Vyd5g
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) May 24, 2017"
Expect more of that in Game 5.
Irving's offensive explosion limited the need to exploit Boston down low, and James' uneven offensive rhythm early on didn't help. Come Thursday, look for head coach Tyronn Lue to feature Thompson more frequently, as the center is capable of overpowering Al Horford and Kelly Olynyk on the block.
Cavs win in five games
Sunday foiled the possibility of a sweep, but Cleveland still wants rest before (likely) meeting the Warriors for an NBA Finals rubber match.
That makes Thursday a must-win.
The Finals begin on Thursday, June 1—or, a week from Game 5. If the Cavaliers close things out, they'll have six days of rest. If the series goes six games, it'll be played on Saturday, reducing the rest time to four days.
In Game 4, for the first time in a long time, James looked tired. He even clanged what should've been a classic one-handed tomahawk. Gifdsports had video:
Kevin Love was seen limping around late but was OK; Kyrie Irving twisted his ankle before continuing his second-half onslaught. Chat Sports passed along video of the play on which Irving tweaked it:
Uncle Drew told reporters afterward that his adrenaline was still running, which allowed him to remain in the game, but he expects to be hurting soon.
"I'm pretty sure when I get home, my body will probably hate me," Irving told reporters.
The Cavs need to be at maximum strength in order to have a shot against the super-loaded Warriors. A few extra nights before the Finals is important, but in order to get them, the team can't overlook Boston.
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