Cavaliers at Celtics
The scrappy Boston Celtics are giving it they’re all, but the Cleveland Cavaliers might just be too much for them to handle. The Cavaliers will try to wrap up a four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference series when they visit the Celtics on Sunday.
Cleveland star LeBron James has increased his scoring and rebounding in each of the first three games, up to 31 points and 11 boards in Game 3. “LeBron’s leadership is obviously a huge factor, because he’s the guy that not only guys follow but they feel him, they sense him,” Cavaliers coach David Blatt told reporters, “and his control in these games has been outstanding both in terms of seizing the moment, but also talking guys through situations.” Boston is trying to make history as the first NBA team ever to come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series. “You have a game Sunday,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters. “You prepare for the game. Play to the best of your ability.”
TV: 1 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS: Kevin Love bounced back from a rough Game 2 by scoring 23 points and going 6-of-10 from 3-point range on Thursday. The former All-Star buried a pair of 3-pointers down the stretch and is growing more comfortable with playoff basketball. “I think each game is going to be very different. It has been so far for me, individually. I had to get the nerves out of the way. The second game I was in foul trouble and (Game 3) I just found my rhythm and had a lot of open shots where my teammates were able to find me.”
ABOUT THE CELTICS: The biggest offensive threat Boston possesses is point guard Isaiah Thomas, but he found himself on the bench for much of the fourth quarter in Game 3. “They’re paying (Thomas) a lot of attention, and for whatever reason he was having an off-night,” Stevens told reporters. “But that happens; guys have off nights and that’s where we’ve got to pick each other up and be better together.” Thomas averaged 22 points and 8.5 assists in the first two games but slumped to five points on 2-of-9 shooting and two assists on Thursday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Cavaliers G Kyrie Irving averaged 28 points in the first two games but slipped to 13 on 3-of-11 shooting in Game 3.
2. Boston F Jae Crowder went for 16 points in Game 3 and has reached double figures in each of the first three games.
3. Cleveland G J.R. Smith is 6-of-23 from 3-point range in the series.