NBA Playoff Picks 5/9 – Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics

NBA Playoff Picks 5/9 – Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics

By Thomas Quaynor for Wannamakeabet.com

The Eastern Conference Semifinals continue tonight with the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers (48-34) visiting the top-seeded Boston Celtics (64-18) in Game Two on ESPN. Boston took a 1-0 lead after pounding Cleveland 120-95 in the series opener on Tuesday night. Boston is a 13-point favorite and the total is 212.

Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 33 points (12-25 FG, 4-11 3Pt, 5-5 FT), six rebounds, five assists and one steal across 37 minutes in Cleveland’s Game One loss. Mitchell is averaging 40.6 ppg over his last three playoff games. Evan Mobley added 17 points, 13 rebounds and a block in 32 minutes for Cleveland. Mobley has had to take over in the post due to starting center Jarrett Allen missing Cleveland’s last four playoff games with a rib injury. 

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 32 points (12-18 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 4-4 FT), six rebounds and a block across 34 minutes in Game One. Derrick White registered 25 points (9-16 FG, 7-12 3Pt) and five assists in 33 minutes for Boston. Jayson Tatum added 18 points (7-19 FG, 4-4 FT) 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks in 35 minutes. All three players are averaging over 20 ppg in the playoffs. 

GAME STORYLINES: CLEVELAND

On Sept. 3, 2022, the Cleveland Cavaliers made the unexpected and bold move of acquiring three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. Mitchell became available after Utah decided to rebuild following several disappointing playoff performances. Mitchell was expected to be traded to a bigger market team such as Los Angeles, Brooklyn or New York but Cleveland swooped in at the last minute and added him. 

Donovan Mitchell has exceeded expectations in his two seasons as a Cavalier. Mitchell averaged career-highs of 28.3 ppg and 48.4 percent shooting from the floor in his first season (2022-23) with Cleveland. He led the Cavs to a 51-31 record, which was their most wins since the 2016-17 season. Cleveland also qualified for the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season as the fourth seed but lost 4-1 to the New York Knicks in the first round.

Mitchell was outstanding again this season, finishing with averages of 26.6 points, 6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 3.3 threes and 1.8 steals on 46.2 percent shooting from the floor. His rebounding and assists were career-highs. Mitchell was hampered by injuries this season as he missed 27 games due to a left knee bone bruise and a nasal fracture suffered in March. Mitchell had his best two statistical seasons of his 7-year NBA career with Cleveland. 

Despite winning three fewer games this season, Cleveland still secured the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and advanced to the second round this time around after outlasting Orlando in seven games. Cleveland’s last playoff series win was Game 7 of the 2018 East Conference finals when they won 87-79 at Boston. The superb play of Donovan Mitchell is the main reason for Cleveland’s postseason success as he’s averaged 29.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.1 threes on 46.4 percent shooting from the floor through 8 games. Mitchell amassed 50 points in Cleveland’s 103-96 loss at Orlando in Game 6, he outscored the rest of the Cavs roster.

Unfortunately, Mitchell has not gotten a lot of help/production from his teammates in the postseason. Injured center Jarrett Allen (17 pts, 13.8 rebs, 1.3 stls, 1 blk, 67.7% from 2 across four playoff games) is the only Cavs starter or rotation player who has increased his production in the postseason. Allen has missed Cleveland’s last 4 playoff games with a rib injury suffered early in the Orlando series, and is not expected to play in Game 2 tonight.

GAME STORYLINES: BOSTON

After making a surprising run to the NBA Finals in 2022 with a relatively young team and coming up just short against the Golden State Warriors, the Boston Celtics have catapulted themselves into the NBA’s best team. Boston finished 57-25 last year and made it to the Eastern Conference finals before falling to the Miami Heat in 7 games. During the offseason, Boston made two significant additions to the roster when they acquired former All-Stars Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. 

Porzingis and Holiday provided a tremendous boost for Boston with scoring, rebounding, three-point shooting and defense as Boston finished with a league-best 64-18 record. The Celtics 64 wins is their most since the 2007-08 season when they finished 66-16 and won the NBA championship. Boston has also had a historic statistical season as their 120-95 win against Cleveland in Game 1 was their 19th 25-point win of the season – regular season and playoff combined – which set an NBA record. The 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs and 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks shared the record at 18. Milwaukee was the only one who went on to win the title.

The All-Star duo of Jayson Tatum (26.9 pts, 8.1 rebs, 4.9 asts, 1 stl, 3.3 threes, 47.1% from 2) and Jaylen Brown (23 pts, 5.5 rebs, 3.6 asts, 1.2 stls, 2.1 threes, 49.9% from 2) were excellent again during the regular season for Boston. Center Kristaps Porzingis (20.1 pts, 7.2 rebs, 1.9 blks, 51.6% from 2), along with guards Derrick White (15.2 pts, 5.2 asts, 4.2 rebs, 1.2 blks, 1 stl, 2.7 threes, 46.1% from 2, 39.6% from 3) and Jrue Holiday (12.5 pts, 5.4 rebs, 4.8 asts, 2 threes, 48% from 2, 42.9% from 3) rounded out an elite starting five for Boston who obliterated the competition. 

Boston suffered a big loss when Kristaps Porzingis went down with a right calf strain in Game 4 against Miami on Apr. 29. He’s expected to miss this entire series against Cleveland. Boston has continued to dominate without Porzingis as they’ve won both games he’s missed by 34 and 25 points, respectively. Guard Derrick White has really elevated his game in the postseason by averaging 22.8 points, 3.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 4.7 threes while shooting 57.5 percent from the floor and 50 percent from long distance through 6 playoff games. He scored a career-high 38 points in Boston’s Game 4 win at Miami. If White can continue his torrid play, it will soften the blow of losing Porzingis.

THE PICK: CELTICS (-13)

Boston has been steamrolling everyone in the playoff up to this point, I expect that to continue tonight against Cleveland. Lay the Points and take the Celtics!