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The Cleveland Cavaliers have begun another challenging series in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The Cavs took on the Boston Celtics in their Eastern Conference semifinal and lost Game 1 120-95. There are many areas Cleveland must examine for their brutal loss, but the play of Darius Garland, Max Strus, and a poor shooting night headline the culprits of defeat.
Cleveland entered the Boston series fresh off a 106-94 Game 7 victory over the Orlando Magic in the first round. The Cavs got off to a slow start but rallied in the third quarter off a fiery Donovan Mitchell performance. Mitchell brought the heat again against the Celtics on Tuesday night, but it was not enough to stop Boston’s two-way attack.
The Celtics won the battle of depth after several standout contributions. Jaylen Brown led the team with 32 points, six rebounds, and two assists. His counterpart Jayson Tatum poured in an 18-point-11-rebound performance. In addition, Boston had three other players score in the double digits.
Cleveland had their share of contributors as well, with Donovan Mitchell scoring a team-high 33 points. Moreover, Evan Mobley chipped in 17 points and 13 rebounds in the absence of Jarrett Allen, who has been out with bruised ribs.
Unfortunately, the Cavs’ efforts were overshadowed by the Celtics’ hounding defense. Boston held Cleveland to just 26.2 percent on three-pointers and 76.9 percent on free throws. This is not the first time the Cavs have dealt with a drought from deep range.
Cleveland’s subpar three-point percentage was similar in a few of their games against the Magic. JB Bickerstaff must find a way to help the team knock down more shots despite Boston’s defensive might. Nevertheless, players just take responsibility and up their game during times of need.
Darius Garland must regain momentum for the Cavs to have a chance against the Celtics
Darius Garland has the capability of taking the Cavs to the next level, but his play on Tuesday night needs improvement.
Garland ended Game 2 with 14 points, five assists, and three rebounds. His performance was a slight improvement from his 12-point Game 7 outing against the Magic, but he must ascend higher. The former All-Star averaged 18.0 points and shot 37.1 percent on three-pointers during the 2023-24 regular season.
He can certainly be Cleveland’s top or second-best scorer on a nightly basis. However, the ball is not falling in for him. Garland went just two for eight on three-pointers on Tuesday night. He is going through a rough patch, but if he keeps the Celtics defense honest with a blend of outside shots and inside scoring, he will be able to break out of his slump.
Speaking of slumps, the Cavs needed more production from key role player Max Strus.
Max Strus: Cleveland’s X-factor
Strus may appear to be a typical sharpshooting role player, but he is anything but that. The former Miami Heat guard is a microwave who has a massive impact on Cleveland’s energy. Take Sunday’s Game 7 over Orlando for example.
Cleveland was able to make larger dents in their lead when Struss got hot in the second half. He did not lead the team in scoring, but he made some critical threes that gave the Cavs a boost. He ended Sunday’s crucial game with 13 points and shot 50 percent from deep range.
Strus did not come close to his Game 7 performance against the Celtics Tuesday night. He was the lowest scorer in Cleveland’s starting lineup with five points. On the bright side, he attempted five threes. Like, Garland, he had a streaky night that turned cold. It is tough to overcome Boston’s defense, but if Strus can catch fire, it will take some pressure off Donovan Mitchell and Garland.
All in all, Cleveland is facing one of the biggest challenges of the season. Not having Jarrett Allen makes things a lot harder for the team. Yet, the Cavs still have bonafide scorers and role players who can help the team win.
Will JB Bickerstaff’s squad flip a switch to even the series in Game 2?
More must-reads:
- Even Mike Budenholzer admits the Suns need a point guard
- Watch: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton has big first half vs. Knicks
- The 'Most triple-doubles in the postseason' quiz
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