The Boston Celtics took a 97-87 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 on Mother's Day Sunday. With the series evened 2-2, each team will need to step up its play in order to take the series. Here are some questions each team needs to answer in their bids to return to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Cleveland Cavaliers
> Who are our clutch players?: More than anything, Mike Brown and the coaching staff need to better understand who the clutch players are on this team. As of now, the only player guaranteed end-of-game minutes is LeBron James. Aside from James, no one has won the coaching staff over with his consistently good clutch play. Anderson Varejao and Delonte West seem to be getting the most minutes aside from LeBron, but neither has taken over the end of a game this postseason. Jamario Moon seems to have climbed up the list of defensive clutch players, but he was nowhere to be seen on the court in the fourth quarter of Game 4.
If past experience is any indicator, Shaquille O'Neal should be getting more time down the stretch. O'Neal has 4 NBA championships to his credit, he played well down the stretch in Game 1, and he was making free throws in Game 4. Likewise, Daniel Gibson should get a chance to play. Gibson's sharpshooting abilities are reminiscient of playoff clutch shooters such as Robert Horry, James Posey, and Steve Kerr. He even hit some clutch shots this season during the big 13-game winning streak. It was Gibson's big Game 6 against the Detroit Pistons and Rasheed Wallace that powered the Cavs into the 2007 NBA Finals.
> How do we keep Rondo in check without letting Pierce warm up?: Putting LeBron James on Rajon Rondo is a huge risk in this series. Sure, LeBron can cover Rondo here and there; by default, he already does so on defensive switches. However, putting LeBron at the point guard position on defense takes him away from Paul Pierce, who has not yet had a good game in the series. This also moves James away from the basket, where he has become one of the NBA's best help defenders and shot blockers. Keep in mind that LeBron James is now the Cavaliers' best shot blocker.
In keeping LeBron on Pierce, Mike Brown needs to consider whether to use Daniel Gibson or Sebastian Telfair. Gibson has played sparingly and Telfair has been inactive throughout this postseason. However, either or both of these players can spark the Cavs' bench, keep up with Rondo, and possibly give Rondo and the Celtics' defense some matchup problems.
> Can Mike Brown effectively change the lineups and rotation?: Stagnancy has dogged this year's team and has been a cause of failure in Mike Brown's past. Coach Brown needs to be more open and more creative in the playcalling and roster use. The Cavaliers are a deep team. They had a 13-game winning streak, including 9 wins without Mo Williams or Delonte West, who were the starting backcourt for last year's 66-win team. When the lineup changed, Brown and the coaching staff altered the way the offense ran. During that stretch, Shaq, Gibson, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas stepped up as key contributors. Yet, as Mo Williams and others flounder, this has not been corrected during the playoffs.
Coach Brown also needs to look at the usage of Varejao and Leon Powe. Varejao played his best basketball this season as a power forward, not a center. Varejao played especially well with Z, as well as with Shaq when LeBron was not in the game. Meanwhile, Powe is a former Celtic. He knows their team. He also competed with Glen Davis for playing time. There was a reason Powe gave the Cavs and Lakers problems in the 2008 NBA Playoffs. Powe might not be as explosive as he was before his knee problems, but he has a knack for getting to the ball through rebounding and defense. He may be an option to guard Davis, Kendrick Perkins, and Kevin Garnett.
> What if LeBron's elbow causes trouble or he just goes cold?: The Cavaliers' offense has been too heavily reliant on LeBron James. There is nothing wrong with him having the ball at some point in almost every play--it is clear the offense runs through him. However, the team has been too stagnant on offense and needs to move around. Also, the team needs to hit more open shots. Here, Gibson and Z can help, as they can both hit open shots and are both familiar with how to play with LeBron. A third player to consider is Jawad Williams. Williams has found his way to the inactive list, but he does have good chemistry with James. He started hitting shots this season when Jamario Moon and Delonte West were out of the lineup.
> What can we do to get Mo Williams going?: As was seen in Game 1, Mo Williams feeds off his offense. Ideally, he will get on a roll in Game 5 by hitting a lot of shots and scoring a lot of points. However, it is imperative that Mo Williams plays better defense and makes better decisions while handling the ball. What has been most troublesome is that Williams has been missing free throws and other shots down the stretch during games. Coach Brown needs to figure out what Mo Williams's clutch value and clutch capabilities are. Otherwise, he may be limited to passer/inbounder in clutch situations, and Delonte West and/or Daniel Gibson need an opportunity to fill the clutch void at point guard.
Boston Celtics
> What do we do if Rondo or any of the Big 3 foul out?: Boston saw an interesting situation in Game 4: they had multiple players in foul trouble. Rajon Rondo even started the game with 2 fouls in 3 minutes. Yet, Cleveland failed to capitalize on this and did not exploit the foul trouble situation. When Ray Allen fouled out at the end of the game, Rondo, Allen, and the others had already taken command of the game. Even if the Big 3 is not scoring, they still bring a lot to the table. They are all steady all-around players and can all serve as decoys on offensive plays due to their abilities on offense. However, if the Cavaliers can create another foul trouble situation in Game 5, the Celtics will have to figure out if their bench can keep up with the Cavaliers' best players.
> What do we do if Rondo loses his touch?: As of now, the whole series for the Celtics is riding on the shoulders of Rajon Rondo. Rondo's consistency in the first four games has been a joy for their team and has earned the respect of Cavs fans and league analysts alike. However, if Rondo does not score or rebound as he has been, the Celtics absolutely need Paul Pierce to score, score, and score some more. Rondo's all-around play has helped cover up for the struggles of Pierce, who has been focusing more on defending LeBron James during this series.
> Can Rasheed Wallace or Tony Allen put together another big game?: Rasheed Wallace was critical to Boston's Game 2 win, while Tony Allen was critical to Boston's Game 4 win. Wallace provides value because he can cause matchup problems and stretch out Cleveland's defense. He can also get under opponent's skin with his physical play and trashtalking. Meanwhile, Tony Allen put together a nice Game 4. He earned a lot of fourth quarter minutes due to his ability to play with Rajon Rondo as a shooting guard. While T. Allen played well at shooting guard, he was not as effective as a point guard. Thus, there is some pressure on T. Allen to have another good game tonight, including improved point guard play. One thing to watch for is if Ray Allen becomes Rajon Rondo's backup at point guard for the rest of the series, with Tony Allen becoming exclusively Ray Allen's backup at shooting guard.
> What if Garnett cannot hold it together for 7 games?: Kevin Garnett's scoring does not win games. However, Kevin Garnett's passion, defense, passing, and rebounding does. Even when he is not scoring, his presence is critical to Boston winning this series. If injury problems catch up to KG, the Celtics will likely face the same fate as last year's playoffs: elimination in the second round.
> Can we keep the Cavaliers from warming up?: The Celtics have done a good job of controlling the tempo in this series. They have slowed down the game quite a bit and have sped it up when the Cavaliers are going through cold stretches on offense. This is a huge credit to Coach Doc Rivers and Rajon Rondo for recognizing this. However, Coach Mike Brown and the Cavaliers can overcome this by taking command of the tempo. With Game 5 in Cleveland, this seems inevitable. If the Cavaliers play up to their potential, then Coach Rivers will either need breakthrough performances from Rondo and Pierce or will have to turn to and trust his bench. As of now, the Celtics successfully run an 8-man rotation, which can be problematic if the Cavs speed up the tempo and tire out the Celtics.
Closing Comments:
> Mike Brown is a good coach, but he has been too inconsistent in his coaching performance. He has been outcoached thus far by Doc Rivers. Now is the time for Coach Brown to show his worth.
> LeBron James should stay on Paul Pierce. Period.
> While J.J. Hickson helped in Game 5 versus the Bulls and Game 1 versus the Celtics, he is starting to struggle now. Likewise, Mo Williams and Anthony Parker have been far from stellar in this series. Meanwhile, Daniel Gibson and Zydrunas Ilgauskas deserve some time on the floor. They helped Cleveland get to the NBA Finals once, and they can help the team and city get there again. Likewise, Leon Powe helped power the Celtics to the NBA Championship once, and he can help power the Cavaliers to the NBA Championship this year.
Cleveland Cavaliers
> Who are our clutch players?: More than anything, Mike Brown and the coaching staff need to better understand who the clutch players are on this team. As of now, the only player guaranteed end-of-game minutes is LeBron James. Aside from James, no one has won the coaching staff over with his consistently good clutch play. Anderson Varejao and Delonte West seem to be getting the most minutes aside from LeBron, but neither has taken over the end of a game this postseason. Jamario Moon seems to have climbed up the list of defensive clutch players, but he was nowhere to be seen on the court in the fourth quarter of Game 4.
If past experience is any indicator, Shaquille O'Neal should be getting more time down the stretch. O'Neal has 4 NBA championships to his credit, he played well down the stretch in Game 1, and he was making free throws in Game 4. Likewise, Daniel Gibson should get a chance to play. Gibson's sharpshooting abilities are reminiscient of playoff clutch shooters such as Robert Horry, James Posey, and Steve Kerr. He even hit some clutch shots this season during the big 13-game winning streak. It was Gibson's big Game 6 against the Detroit Pistons and Rasheed Wallace that powered the Cavs into the 2007 NBA Finals.
> How do we keep Rondo in check without letting Pierce warm up?: Putting LeBron James on Rajon Rondo is a huge risk in this series. Sure, LeBron can cover Rondo here and there; by default, he already does so on defensive switches. However, putting LeBron at the point guard position on defense takes him away from Paul Pierce, who has not yet had a good game in the series. This also moves James away from the basket, where he has become one of the NBA's best help defenders and shot blockers. Keep in mind that LeBron James is now the Cavaliers' best shot blocker.
In keeping LeBron on Pierce, Mike Brown needs to consider whether to use Daniel Gibson or Sebastian Telfair. Gibson has played sparingly and Telfair has been inactive throughout this postseason. However, either or both of these players can spark the Cavs' bench, keep up with Rondo, and possibly give Rondo and the Celtics' defense some matchup problems.
> Can Mike Brown effectively change the lineups and rotation?: Stagnancy has dogged this year's team and has been a cause of failure in Mike Brown's past. Coach Brown needs to be more open and more creative in the playcalling and roster use. The Cavaliers are a deep team. They had a 13-game winning streak, including 9 wins without Mo Williams or Delonte West, who were the starting backcourt for last year's 66-win team. When the lineup changed, Brown and the coaching staff altered the way the offense ran. During that stretch, Shaq, Gibson, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas stepped up as key contributors. Yet, as Mo Williams and others flounder, this has not been corrected during the playoffs.
Coach Brown also needs to look at the usage of Varejao and Leon Powe. Varejao played his best basketball this season as a power forward, not a center. Varejao played especially well with Z, as well as with Shaq when LeBron was not in the game. Meanwhile, Powe is a former Celtic. He knows their team. He also competed with Glen Davis for playing time. There was a reason Powe gave the Cavs and Lakers problems in the 2008 NBA Playoffs. Powe might not be as explosive as he was before his knee problems, but he has a knack for getting to the ball through rebounding and defense. He may be an option to guard Davis, Kendrick Perkins, and Kevin Garnett.
> What if LeBron's elbow causes trouble or he just goes cold?: The Cavaliers' offense has been too heavily reliant on LeBron James. There is nothing wrong with him having the ball at some point in almost every play--it is clear the offense runs through him. However, the team has been too stagnant on offense and needs to move around. Also, the team needs to hit more open shots. Here, Gibson and Z can help, as they can both hit open shots and are both familiar with how to play with LeBron. A third player to consider is Jawad Williams. Williams has found his way to the inactive list, but he does have good chemistry with James. He started hitting shots this season when Jamario Moon and Delonte West were out of the lineup.
> What can we do to get Mo Williams going?: As was seen in Game 1, Mo Williams feeds off his offense. Ideally, he will get on a roll in Game 5 by hitting a lot of shots and scoring a lot of points. However, it is imperative that Mo Williams plays better defense and makes better decisions while handling the ball. What has been most troublesome is that Williams has been missing free throws and other shots down the stretch during games. Coach Brown needs to figure out what Mo Williams's clutch value and clutch capabilities are. Otherwise, he may be limited to passer/inbounder in clutch situations, and Delonte West and/or Daniel Gibson need an opportunity to fill the clutch void at point guard.
Boston Celtics
> What do we do if Rondo or any of the Big 3 foul out?: Boston saw an interesting situation in Game 4: they had multiple players in foul trouble. Rajon Rondo even started the game with 2 fouls in 3 minutes. Yet, Cleveland failed to capitalize on this and did not exploit the foul trouble situation. When Ray Allen fouled out at the end of the game, Rondo, Allen, and the others had already taken command of the game. Even if the Big 3 is not scoring, they still bring a lot to the table. They are all steady all-around players and can all serve as decoys on offensive plays due to their abilities on offense. However, if the Cavaliers can create another foul trouble situation in Game 5, the Celtics will have to figure out if their bench can keep up with the Cavaliers' best players.
> What do we do if Rondo loses his touch?: As of now, the whole series for the Celtics is riding on the shoulders of Rajon Rondo. Rondo's consistency in the first four games has been a joy for their team and has earned the respect of Cavs fans and league analysts alike. However, if Rondo does not score or rebound as he has been, the Celtics absolutely need Paul Pierce to score, score, and score some more. Rondo's all-around play has helped cover up for the struggles of Pierce, who has been focusing more on defending LeBron James during this series.
> Can Rasheed Wallace or Tony Allen put together another big game?: Rasheed Wallace was critical to Boston's Game 2 win, while Tony Allen was critical to Boston's Game 4 win. Wallace provides value because he can cause matchup problems and stretch out Cleveland's defense. He can also get under opponent's skin with his physical play and trashtalking. Meanwhile, Tony Allen put together a nice Game 4. He earned a lot of fourth quarter minutes due to his ability to play with Rajon Rondo as a shooting guard. While T. Allen played well at shooting guard, he was not as effective as a point guard. Thus, there is some pressure on T. Allen to have another good game tonight, including improved point guard play. One thing to watch for is if Ray Allen becomes Rajon Rondo's backup at point guard for the rest of the series, with Tony Allen becoming exclusively Ray Allen's backup at shooting guard.
> What if Garnett cannot hold it together for 7 games?: Kevin Garnett's scoring does not win games. However, Kevin Garnett's passion, defense, passing, and rebounding does. Even when he is not scoring, his presence is critical to Boston winning this series. If injury problems catch up to KG, the Celtics will likely face the same fate as last year's playoffs: elimination in the second round.
> Can we keep the Cavaliers from warming up?: The Celtics have done a good job of controlling the tempo in this series. They have slowed down the game quite a bit and have sped it up when the Cavaliers are going through cold stretches on offense. This is a huge credit to Coach Doc Rivers and Rajon Rondo for recognizing this. However, Coach Mike Brown and the Cavaliers can overcome this by taking command of the tempo. With Game 5 in Cleveland, this seems inevitable. If the Cavaliers play up to their potential, then Coach Rivers will either need breakthrough performances from Rondo and Pierce or will have to turn to and trust his bench. As of now, the Celtics successfully run an 8-man rotation, which can be problematic if the Cavs speed up the tempo and tire out the Celtics.
Closing Comments:
> Mike Brown is a good coach, but he has been too inconsistent in his coaching performance. He has been outcoached thus far by Doc Rivers. Now is the time for Coach Brown to show his worth.
> LeBron James should stay on Paul Pierce. Period.
> While J.J. Hickson helped in Game 5 versus the Bulls and Game 1 versus the Celtics, he is starting to struggle now. Likewise, Mo Williams and Anthony Parker have been far from stellar in this series. Meanwhile, Daniel Gibson and Zydrunas Ilgauskas deserve some time on the floor. They helped Cleveland get to the NBA Finals once, and they can help the team and city get there again. Likewise, Leon Powe helped power the Celtics to the NBA Championship once, and he can help power the Cavaliers to the NBA Championship this year.