
Not really a big silver lining guy, but the Celtics took the Cavaliers to the absolute brink last night. It took a freaking career game from Kyrie Irving, who literally scored a career playoff high 42 points. On a bum ankle nonetheless. It took all that for the Cavs to hold off the C’s from tying the series, who in the first half played the best basketball they’ve played all year long.
Cleveland wanted NO part of an even series heading back to Boston, Kyrie straight up admitted it in his post-game presser.
“It was one of those games we had to fight through, and we had to earn it.” -Kyrie Irving pic.twitter.com/dNHuWeZHZ1
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 24, 2017
“In the back of my mind, I thought, ‘They can’t tie up the series,’” he said. “We can’t go back to Boston tied 2-2. We needed everything tonight.”
If the Celtics hold onto their first half lead and finish the job last night the series is a toss up. LeBron had 4 fouls in the first half for the first time in his career and he looked absolutely RATTLED.
When you think its Friday, but its only Thursday. #Celtics #Cavs #NBA #NBAPlayoffs2017 #bosvscle pic.twitter.com/nxnhZY0u5H
— The 300s (@The300sBoston) May 24, 2017
The entire Cavs team looked shook and then Kyrie started taking over. There’s no shame in it, Kyrie is one of the best players in the world and it took everything he had to hold off the outgunned Celtics.
The one thing that will always bug me though is how LeBron had to sit for the last 6 minutes of the first half due to foul trouble and then had to play the entire second half with 4 fouls and we still couldn’t steal a win.
I’m not going to complain too much about the refs because they ate shit on both ends of the court, but LeBron would have had to hit somebody with a fucking metal chair in the second half to have drawn a 5th foul. Or god forbid a 6th and foul out of an NBA playoff game. The league was having none of that. But hey its hard to beat a team that shoots 60% for the game and nearly 80% in the second half.
Also, how can you not LOVE the balls on Jonas Jerebko. The guy is getting in there and is just going bananas, talking shit, picking fights with everyone on the Cavs. Jerebko has seemingly become the Celtics’ energy guy, a spark plug, an instigator, whatever you wanna call it. There’s always a place for a guy like that on my squad.
Raise your hand if you expected Jonas Jerebko to be the spark plug and enforcer in the #Celtics #Cavs series. pic.twitter.com/dC4IEghPhE
— The 300s (@The300sBoston) May 24, 2017
I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that the Celtics covered the 16 point spread. They covered a yuuuge spread for the second game in a row. Sure they still lost by 13, but winning (the spread) is winning. I would have been ready to smash my TV though with the Cavs piling on garbage time points at the end as I bit my fingernails off. But, man money won is always sweeter than money earned.
#Cavs were 16 point favorites. WHY DIDN’T I TAKE THE #CELTICS pic.twitter.com/HXF1YS7ML7
— The 300s (@The300sBoston) May 24, 2017
PS – How many water boys you think LeBron fired last night after the shitshow that was the Cleveland parquet. Jae Crowder legit nearly blew his knee out slipping on the court, LeBron slipped under the hoop, Kevin Love slipped getting up too. It was like the pipes were leaking or something.
Clean that shit up before Game 7, Cleveland.
Note to the #Cavs ball boys: Mop. The. Floor. #celtics #nba #NBAPlayoffs2017 pic.twitter.com/qgVJnpTs1G
— The 300s (@The300sBoston) May 24, 2017
