What To Expect From Cavaliers In Round 2 Playoff Matchup Vs. Celtics

The Boston Celtics will need to go through the Cleveland Cavaliers in order to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals for the fourth time in the past five seasons. But it won’t be easy.

Boston defeated Miami in five games while it took a seven-game nail-biter with the Magic for Cleveland to advance to the second round. Yet, despite whatever the regular season or first round of the playoffs suggest, the Celtics shouldn’t treat the Cavaliers like a cakewalk. NESN’s Travis Thomas broke down Cleveland’s biggest threat to Boston on the “Hold My Banner” podcast before both teams square off for Game 1 on Tuesday night.

“We saw it in the Heat series. For one game, Boston didn’t shoot particularly well, they lost the game,” Thomas explained. “I’m gonna guess that happens a couple of times in this series; Cleveland takes advantage of it. They are gonna come in here and play bully ball — and they have the personnel to do it.”

Donovan Mitchell, who averages 29.6 points in his career against the Celtics, was vital in leading the Cavaliers past the Magic. In Game 7, Mitchell scored 39 points with nine rebounds and five assists, finishing with a 28.7-point average on 45.9% shooting for the series.

“(The Cavaliers) are not gonna be able to shoot themselves back into a game,” Thomas added. “What they are gonna be able to do, with their personnel that the Heat were not able to do and execute, is I do believe they can successfully play bully ball in this series. I don’t think it’s gonna win the series for them, but I think it’s gonna get them a couple of games.”

Tipoff from TD Garden on Tuesday is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.