Celtics Must Sustain Energy for Four Quarters to Earn Edge in Series With Cavaliers

After two games of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Celtics have to feel pretty good about where things stand. They've earned a split at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, and now it's back to Boston with the series tied 1-1.

They've taken home-court advantage away. All they need to do is win three more games, and it just so happens that three of the last five in this series are home at the TD Garden, where the Celtics have yet to lose in this postseason. Momentum has shifted toward the Celtics, and it's time for the C's to take advantage in Game 3 on Friday night.

When and Where

Celtics vs. Cavaliers
Friday, May 7, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
TD Garden, Boston

Head to Head

With the win Monday night in Game 2, the Celtics have earned a 3-3 split of their six games this season against Cleveland, regular season and playoffs combined. Their Achilles' heel, though, seems to be their play in the fourth quarter, especially on offense. Can they sustain energy? Can they keep working, executing well and getting good shots? These Cavs are tough to hold off when the game gets close in crunch time, and the C's will need every ounce of energy they can muster in Game 3. If they want to be up 4-3 in this head-to-head matchup, they'll have to work for it.

Key Matchup

Rajon Rondo vs. Mo Williams
Here's the question that may well decide the outcome of this game and this series: Who on the Cavaliers' roster has got the speed and the quickness to stop Rondo? Through two games, it hasn't been Mo.

Rondo has been killing the Cavs, and unless Mike Brown makes some adjustments on the fly to slow the young point guard down, that's only going to continue. The Cavs will probably start Game 3 with Mo guarding Rondo, but if that doesn't work, expect them to pull out all the stops. Delonte West, Anthony Parker and maybe even LeBron James will be tasked with stopping Rondo. Just as the Celtics throw everything they can at LeBron defensively, the Cavs need to work just as hard to stop Rondo.

Starting Lineups

Celtics
Point guard: Rajon Rondo
Shooting guard: Ray Allen
Small forward: Paul Pierce
Power forward: Kevin Garnett
Center: Kendrick Perkins

Cavaliers
Point guard: Mo Williams
Shooting guard: Anthony Parker
Small forward: LeBron James
Power forward: Antawn Jamison
Center: Shaquille O'Neal

Stat Sheet

Celtics

• Rajon Rondo had 19 assists for the Celtics in Game 2 on Monday night, tying a franchise record for a single playoff game.
• Ray Allen is a career 89.3 percent free-throw shooter in the postseason.
• Kevin Garnett has averaged 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game against the Cavaliers in his career.

Cavaliers

• Mo Williams shot 1-of-9 from the field and 0-of-4 from 3-point range in Game 2. He finished with four points, his lowest output of the postseason to date.
• LeBron James has averaged 29.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game in the postseason for his career.
• Antawn Jamison has averaged 21.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in his career against the Celtics.

Black and Blue

Celtics

• Kevin Garnett missed Wednesday's practice with a strained right midfoot. He returned to practice Thursday and is expected to play Friday.
• Kendrick Perkins also missed practice Wednesday with a strained right knee. He is also back in action.

Cavaliers

• LeBron James continues to be slowed by a strained right elbow and bone bruise. The Cavs have shelved plans for a second MRI on the elbow, and King James is still expecting to play through it.
• Anderson Varejao is day-to-day with back spasms. He's expected to play Friday.

Outlook

The Celtics are back home, and they know exactly what to do. They've got to keep riding the explosive play of Rajon Rondo. They've got to keep playing strong team defense. They've got to keep playing the complete, well-rounded game that got them here to Boston with a 1-1 split. The ball's in the Celtics' court now — literally. With this series moving back to the TD Garden, the C's have the advantage. They need to seize it and run with it.