Entering the 2014-15 season, there was little doubt the Cleveland Cavaliers would manage to grab a playoff spot in the weak Eastern Conference. But LeBron James’s second stint with his hometown team didn’t get off to the best start as the club stumbled to an early 19-20 record.
Sensing that his group did not have the proper pieces to make a deep playoff run, Cavaliers GM David Griffin made a pair of January trades, landing a defensive specialist in Iman Shumpert and another scoring threat in J.R. Smith from the New York Knicks, before acquiring centre Timofey Mozgov from the Denver Nuggets to bolster Cleveland’s rim protection.
The new-look Cavaliers really started rolling and finished the season with a 53-29 record, good for the second-best record in the East.
On the flip side, there’s the Boston Celtics, who were supposed to find themselves mired in a total rebuilding year. Head coach Brad Stevens apparently didn’t get the memo, though, as he guided his team to the seventh seed even after his front office traded away star point guard Rajon Rondo and athletic forward Jeff Green.
While the Celts certainly lost some impact players, they also brought in a legitimate scorer at the trade deadline, sending Marcus Thornton and a first-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Isaiah Thomas. Thomas has played his way into Sixth Man of the Year consideration, averaging nearly 20 points per game while dishing out over five assists a night since joining the Celtics.
Marquee matchup: LeBron James vs. Evan Turner
Surrounded by a new cast of characters, James posted some of the lowest stats of his career. Don’t let that fool you, though, his numbers were still outstanding and this is still the best player on the planet. James finds himself in the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season. And for a sense of how valuable a player he really is consider that Miami, a 54-win team last season, missed the playoffs without him, while Cleveland, which hadn’t made the post-season since he left and won 33 games last year, is now a 53-win second seed. This year, he’ll also be gunning for his fifth straight Finals appearance.
Although he doesn’t have the reputation James does, Turner has been an absolute monster down the stretch, flirting with a triple-double every time he takes the floor. Over the past 30 days, Turner has filled the stat sheet, averaging 11.9 points, 7.8 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per. He’ll need to continue to bring it if the Celtics are to have any chance in this series.
Role player to watch – Cleveland: Tristan Thompson
The pride of Brampton, Ont., Thompson has had an outstanding year off the bench. The 24-year-old big man saw his numbers and minutes decline from a season ago, but has remained a crucial member of the second unit. Thompson contributes better than eight points and eight rebounds a game and shot a career-high 55 percent from the field. Another interesting storyline to follow will be the matchup between Thompson and fellow Canadian Kelly Olynyk.
Role player to watch – Boston: Brandon Bass
Bass isn’t going to wow anyone with his athleticism, but he has enjoyed a very solid NBA career due in large part to his effective mid-range game. As one of the only Celtics with abundant playoff experience, the 10th-year man might be relied on to shoulder a bigger role. For the season, Bass averaged 10.6 points per game on 50 percent shooting.
Season series: Tied 2-2
Cavaliers stats leaders:
Points: LeBron James (25.3)
Assists: LeBron James (7.4)
Rebounds: Kevin Love (9.8)
Celtics stats leaders:
Points: Isaiah Thomas (19.0)
Assists: Evan Turner (5.5)
Rebounds: Jared Sullinger (7.7)
Prediction: Cavaliers in five.
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