Celts can’t get complacent

[Roy H.]

Game 1 was a fantastic effort. Lebron looked passive and his teammates did nothing.

But, historically, losing Game 1 on the road has made very little difference to Lebron teams. In fact, it’s almost an expectation at this point.

In Game 1, when LeBron is on the road, his teams have gone 2-10 straight-up. In all other road games LeBron is 56-36 (60.9%).

That stat is slightly outdated, but I believe it now stands at 3-12.  So, the excuses about “feeling out” may have some validity.  Overall, though, Lebron’s team wins the majority of series that open on the road; he’s 7-3 in such series since 2009.

Or, take his playoff record against the Bulls: 1-3 in Game 1, 15-2 in all other games.  It’s like he needs a loss before he can go into full Lebron mode.

He’s beatable, but Game 1 means almost nothing. The Celts can’t let their guard down even a little.

[Jiri Welsch]

TP for that stat, Roy. I agree that if we are to have any chance of winning the series that we need to go up 2-0. We have to be aggressive on our closeouts, and stop giving them and-1 opportunities at the free throw line!

[celticinorlando]

This is why Game 2 is the biggest game for Boston IMO...Going to cleveland 2-0 would just be very large because I feel like they can get 1 there...

Coming home to Boston up 3-1 would be very nice...but if you lose 2...you are looking at best 2-2 or at worst game 5 being a close out game for the Cavs

[hodgy03038]

Game 1 was a fantastic effort. Lebron looked passive and his teammates did nothing.

But, historically, losing Game 1 on the road has made very little difference to Lebron teams. In fact, it’s almost an expectation at this point.

In Game 1, when LeBron is on the road, his teams have gone 2-10 straight-up. In all other road games LeBron is 56-36 (60.9%).

That stat is slightly outdated, but I believe it now stands at 3-12.  So, the excuses about “feeling out” may have some validity.  Overall, though, Lebron’s team wins the majority of series that open on the road; he’s 7-3 in such series since 2009.

Or, take his playoff record against the Bulls: 1-3 in Game 1, 15-2 in all other games.  It’s like he needs a loss before he can go into full Lebron mode.

He’s beatable, but Game 1 means almost nothing. The Celts can’t let their guard down even a little.

You are right that Game 1 means almost nothing BUT had the Celts lost it would have meant everything so in that regard I think it was very important. If the Celts play like this again and win Game 2 in a similar fashion it will mean everything. The Cavs will have there back against the wall and they may play scared to lose a game at home (not LeBron but all the other role players). Game 2 is not a "must win" but it is very important to the mission. I think LeBron will change the lineup (lol) to get Morris out of our starting lineup.

Go Celts! Get this!!

[manl_lui]

same, it's a great confidence booster but we cannot let our guard down nor take this win for granted. LeBron will fight back whether with or without his teammates showing up.

[celticinorlando]

Boston wins game 2...I think you will see doubt seep into the Cavs. They know the Pacers gave them everything and then some and Boston is better than that.

Boston needs to play Game 2 like it is a game 7. They really need to win that game. I think you get James' best shot and if you can survive it...that changes this series dramatically.

[Phantom255x]

Yep, they absolutely can't. Cleveland will come out roaring in Game 2. Remember the PHI series, Game 2? They were ahead like 48-25 at one point and started off real well. Then of course, we came back late in the 2nd quarter, and won a close game at the end.

The key is to weather the storm and all their runs, but also to try and hound the other guys (not named Lebron) AND keep attacking them on offense. Thompson can still be annoying but he's not the same guy as two years ago, and Love is horrible on defense. Celtics can keep getting easy buckets if they stick to the game plan.

On defense, just keep challenging them. If they make the tough shots, so be it. But in Game 1, you could tell especially in the 2nd quarter and early in the 4th that the Cavaliers (Lebron included) had no confidence in their shots going in when they put them up. That's credit to Boston's defense for making it REAL tough on them early, and not to allow way too many open looks throughout the game.

And keep clogging the paint and making Lebron a jump shooter. That's our best chance at winning and containing Lebron. Surely, he can still put up 30+ still (and I think he will after that horrid Game 1), but it keeps him from getting easy buckets inside and forces him to work and tire him out a bit (yes folks, he IS human or at least can be made to look human if we make him work hard on BOTH ends of the floor).

[fairweatherfan]

It was a great win, it showed we are better matched against them than last year, and added still more icing on the cake of this excellent run.

But at the end of the day we won one game at home. It's a big start to winning the series but it just means we were strong enough to competently hold serve. If we blow Game 2 we're worse off than we were before Game 1.  LeBron's not going to have another game that bad this series. Neither are a lot of his supporting cast. 

Fortunately I think there's basically zero chance this team does that. It's just not in our team's character. What a great situation to be in as a fan.

[Drucci]

It was a great win, it showed we are better matched against them than last year, and added still more icing on the cake of this excellent run.

But at the end of the day we won one game at home. It's a big start to winning the series but it just means we were strong enough to competently hold serve. If we blow Game 2 we're worse off than we were before Game 1.  LeBron's not going to have another game that bad this series. Neither are a lot of his supporting cast. 

Fortunately I think there's basically zero chance this team does that. It's just not in our team's character. What a great situation to be in as a fan.

Fortunately, Brad Stevens will make sure the team has the right mindset to start game 2.

[Donoghus]

Certainly my biggest concern.  Mostly being rooted in the fact that they are so young so more prone to complacency. 

However, I think Brad should have them mentally prepared.  He already acknowledged it in his post game presser.   He knows that CLE has the ability to throw a haymaker at them tomorrow night. 

Not sure how the kids come out tomorrow night. 

[kozlodoev]

Game 2 is a clear trap game.

[GreenCoffeeBean]

I look at it like this:

- Everyone on the Cavs can play better next game
- Nobody on the Celtics except for Rozier, Smart, and maybe Tatum can play better than they did in Game 1
- You can't expect the Cavs to shoot 36% again
- You can't except the Cs to shoot 51% again

The norm for this series is going to be grind it out with honey-get-my-blood-thinners type endings.

[bdm860]

Game 1 was a fantastic effort. Lebron looked passive and his teammates did nothing.

But, historically, losing Game 1 on the road has made very little difference to Lebron teams. In fact, it’s almost an expectation at this point.

In Game 1, when LeBron is on the road, his teams have gone 2-10 straight-up. In all other road games LeBron is 56-36 (60.9%).

That stat is slightly outdated, but I believe it now stands at 3-12.  So, the excuses about “feeling out” may have some validity.  Overall, though, Lebron’s team wins the majority of series that open on the road; he’s 7-3 in such series since 2009.

Or, take his playoff record against the Bulls: 1-3 in Game 1, 15-2 in all other games.  It’s like he needs a loss before he can go into full Lebron mode.

He’s beatable, but Game 1 means almost nothing. The Celts can’t let their guard down even a little.

Not that I think the C's should get cocky or underestimate LeBron, but I think that stat is skewed.  It looks like it's taking LeBron's Game 1 record on the road (so when LeBron's team has the worse record) and then comparing it to all road playoff games (so when LeBron swept the 7th seeded C's in '15, it's counting the 2 road wins in Boston).  Those are not comparable things. 

Simple math check: 2-10 record means 12 series, the maximum amount of possible remaining road games is 36 (12 series * 3 remaining road games).  So a 56-36 record isn't possible.  Even if we considered both home and away games, then the total possible games is 72 (12*6).


According to what I see, LeBron has lost game 1 on the road 11 times (not including this Boston series).  He's come back to win 5 of those series.

2006 vs DET, 2nd round, lost 3-4
2007 vs DET, ECF, won 4-2
2007 vs SAS, Finals, lost 0-4
2008 vs BOS, 2nd round, lost 3-4
2011 vs CHI, ECF, won 4-1
2012 vs OKC, Finals, won 4-1
2014 vs IND, ECF, won 4-2
2014 vs SAS, Finals, lost 1-4
2015 vs GS, Finals, lost 2-4
2016 vs GS, Finals, won 4-3
2017 vs GS Finals, lost  1-4


Total record of 30-22 after losing game 1 on the road (which is 30-33 after adding back in Game 1 loss).
Since 2011, it's 20-12 after losing game 1 on the road (which is 20-19 after adding back in Game 1 loss).

Not that the C's should take LeBron lightly, I just don't think that stat was right.

[KGBirdBias]

Let me just say a lot of talking heads apparently don't watch the Celtics that much. I've always said the ball moves much much better without Kyrie, but Kyrie is the dagger when all else fails.

The Cavs will shoot much better next game but Korver, Hill and JR still can't stay with Tatum, Brown and Rozier. Bron doesn't know who to defend with so much versatility. Stevens can dictate where he wants the ball to go and who he wants shooting with his defense.

[SparzWizard]

I expect a split at the TD Garden and Quicken Loans Arena.

7-game series.