Cavaliers at Celtics
The Boston Celtics have thrived as underdogs and they get a chance to relish the role again when they take on the almighty LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final for the second straight season, beginning with Game 1 on Sunday in Boston. James steamrolled through the first two rounds of the playoffs while averaging 34.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and nine assists, throwing in a pair of buzzer-beaters along the way.
"I haven't reflected on it," James told reporters when asked about the opportunity to reach the NBA Finals for an eighth straight time. "But I do know that this is my eighth straight conference finals, and I have an opportunity to play for a championship if I'm able to be successful in this conference finals, so I don't take that for granted." Standing in his way is an inspiring bunch in Boston that took care of the Philadelphia 76ers in five games in the semifinals, riding a much more balanced attack led by rookie Jayson Tatum (23.6 points per game versus the 76ers). Point guard Terry Rozier has become a star since replacing injured All-Star and former Cavalier Kyrie Irving, as "Scary Terry" is averaging 18.2 points in the playoffs while guiding a gritty group. "We weren't gonna lay down for nobody, no matter who was counting us out," Rozier told reporters of the postseason run. "We weren't going to just let the teams come in and punk us. We were the No. 2 seed for a reason. With injuries, without, we were the No. 2 seed, so obviously we were doing something great all season. ... We'd rather [the media] count us out. We don't want anybody on our side now. We're doing good and we play better when our back is against the wall."
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS: Kevin Love averaged 22.6 points and 12.4 rebounds in last season's conference finals against Boston and seems primed to help out James after finishing the second-round sweep of the Toronto Raptors in fine fashion. The 29-year-old scored at least 21 points in each of the final three games of that series after averaging 10.9 points on 31.9 percent shooting in his first eight contests this postseason, a stretch which drew some criticism in Cleveland. "You see it every day, whether it's politics or sports or pop culture," Love told the media of the fan reaction to his slump. "There's this 24-hour news cycle and there has to be some sort of story. Like I said after Game 2 [against the Raptors], 'I didn't forget how to play basketball.' Sometimes it's a bad matchup. I was missing some uncharacteristic shots. But there were other things I was doing out there. It's not I just forgot how to play."
ABOUT THE CELTICS: The Celtics struggled to slow down James in the one-sided matchup last spring - won by Cleveland in five games - but they feel they have more men to throw at him this time around. "With this group, we have more depth in [the perimeter] positions, suited more to guard LeBron," big man Al Horford told the media. "We have a lot more bodies to take on that challenge." Horford, who will be one of the many players to mark James at one time or another, is averaging 17 points on 57.8 percent shooting in the playoffs.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Cleveland won three games at Boston by an average of 30 points in last season's conference finals and also won by 22 at TD Garden in the most recent matchup between the teams Feb. 11.
2. Celtics PG Shane Larkin (shoulder) is likely unavailable until late in the series.
3. Tatum is a cousin of Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue and Tatum's godfather is James' former teammate, Larry Hughes.