Everyone knew going in that the Cleveland Cavaliers were going to have a tough time remaining competitive with the Boston Celtics. But losing in blowout fashion like this? Well, this was still somewhat of a stunner. The Cavs found themselves on the wrong side of a 120-95 final score, with the game becoming somewhat uncompetitive in the 3rd and not all in the 4th.
Even though the Cavs were able to cut the lead to 10 at the half, the final two quarters of play seem to be a more accurate indicator of the talent level difference between the two teams. The Celtics have long been considered one of if not the best team in the NBA this season. That was on full display while Boston closed out the Cavaliers Tuesday night.
To be completely honest here, this is not just about the Celtics being superior. The Cavs barely managed to get by Orlando in the first round, needing seven games to do so. Cleveland expended so much energy during that series that there was no way they could keep up in their first game with Boston.
The outlook for the rest of the series would be less bleak if the Cavs were not the lowest-scoring remaining playoff team. Averaging 95.8 points in eight games, Cleveland is averaging 14 points less per game than Boston. Closing this gap is going to be almost impossible, as it is clear as day the Celtics are just that much better.
At this point, the best outcome the Cavs can hope for is to avoid further embarrassment. They are clearly nowhere near as talented as Boston, and there is little to no chance they will be able to win this series. Look to keep games close and do their best to avoid a sweep.
