The Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers are playing on the NBA playoffs schedule and the game is live on ABC and streaming online from the WatchESPN website starting at 3 pm ET on Sunday and the matchup from Quicken Loans Arena as the two seed and seven seed matchup in the eastern conference with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love leading the Cavs.
The Celtics made it into the playoffs as the number seven seed in the east and the Cavaliers clinched the number two seed by winning the Central division. The Cavs got off to a slow start this season, but James and company did not let that affect them and the team now is as hot as anyone coming in. The Cavs barely lost at home this season and now they have the chance to make a finals run.
While the Hawks are the top team in the east, many see the Cavaliers as the favorites and it comes as James has more experience than the Atlantic side overall. The matchup between those teams in the eastern conference would be a great matchup and that would put James and company against the number one team in the east this season. The Cavs won 53 games and the Celtics were impressive by turning their rebuild into a 40-42 record overall in 2014-15.
The Cavaliers roster is very different compared to the start of the season and players like Timofey Mozgov and Iman Shumpert have made major impacts. The Cavaliers have been able to get everyone involved as the season has gone on and Love has been able to make an impact after a tough start to the season.
The Cavs are much better on the defensive side of things after struggling early on and James put up and MVP like season even if he won't win it. The Celtics should not be a major challenge for the team, but they have talent with Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley. Brad Stevens has done a strong job this season in Boston.
Both David Blatt and Brad Stevens are making their NBA playoff debuts and Blatt has a team that should be able to make a run to the final. James and the Cavaliers have some history in the playoffs, but the teams are not what they once were when James had his first run in Cleveland, but this should still be an entertaining matchup. Irving and Love are heading to the playoffs for the first time and James coming to Cleveland has motivated them to try and win this year.
The Cavaliers were a top five offensive team overall this season and the Celtics were up and down on defense and that could be the key matchup. The Celtics have been a solid offensive team and they could be tough for the Cavs on the defensive end. The teams split the season series but that came with two late wins for Boston with the Cavs resting starters after Cleveland won the first two.
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