It’s unlikely the Celtics and Cavs will combine to have 41 turnovers (as was the case in Game 1), with 10 of those coming from LeBron James. And even though the Celtics played excellent defense in Game 1, it’s tough to expect to see the Cavs shoot 30.7 percent from the field again.
NBA. As the Celtics and Cavaliers look ahead to Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, they’re undoubtedly doing their best to shield their eyes when looking back at Game 1.
After all, history dictates we’ll never again see a playoff game like that from these two teams, especially considering three All-Stars were among the worst players on the court.
Ray Allen missed all four of his shots and was held scoreless for the second time in his career, with the first occurrence coming 11 years ago in the regular season when he was a rookie. Plus, Paul Pierce’s four-point performance marked the lowest playoff output in his career and his lowest point total in five years.
“I can’t play any worse than this, and we [still] got a win,” said Pierce, who has scored less than four points three times in his career, all in his rookie season. “And Ray can’t play as bad, or LeBron [James]. I think we’ve set ourselves up for an exciting series. I look for it to get better and better.”
James had his own issues. He wears No. 23 to honor Michael Jordan, but James looked nothing like the heir to Air’s throne in the Cavs’ Game 1 loss. James scored 12 points, the second lowest total in his playoff career, and missed 16 of 18 shots from the floor, including four in the game’s final minute. And his .111 shooting percentage was the worst of his career.
While Allen and Pierce were vital cogs in the Celtics’ 66-win season, James single-handedly led the Cavs to the Finals last year. That’s why tonight’s Game 2 affair shouldn’t share a glimmer of resemblance to Game 1.
“They balanced each other out, basically,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said of the struggling stars, who combined to miss 32-of-36 shots. “It was a great win. If you’re Cleveland, you’re thinking they almost won with LeBron playing like that. If you’re us, you’re thinking we won with Paul and Ray not scoring. It’s probably a wash.”