Despite a majority of their roster making their NBA Playoffs' debut, the Cleveland Cavaliers looked every bit the seasoned vets as they beat the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Stars like Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson were all seeing the postseason for the first time and while LeBron James admitted he was nervous entering the game, all went well and now the Cavaliers are hoping to go up 2-0 on Boston in Game 2.
The Boston Celtics had early success in the first quarter of Game 1, shooting 57.1 percent, but that was quickly put to rest as the Cavaliers outscored the team 53-25 over the next two quarters to get the win. A surprise to many, Love turned out one of the bigger performances for the Cavaliers, netting 19 points and 12 rebounds in the win. After a roller coaster regular season, the forward looked strong and balanced in the playoff game, something the Cavaliers need to continue happening if they are going to be successful this postseason.
Irving also held up well in his playoff debut. Many expected players like the point guard to show some nerves, but Irving put that idea to rest as he netted 30 points including five 3-point shots. The Big 3 of Irving, James and Love proved very lethal against the Celtics defense as they put up a 127.2 offensive rating combined while Boston as a team only managed 89.9.
Boston struggled to counter anything Cleveland was throwing at them. They were beaten on both ends of the court, getting outrebounded 46-34. Evan Turner was the only player that managed more than five rebounds while he struggled being defended by James for a majority of the game. Isaiah Thomas was a lone bright spot with 22 points and 10 assists off the bench. The point guard just missed out on winning Sixth Man of the Year. Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart struggled to find any kind of offensive rhythm. Their attempts to guard Irving did not fare well either and need to improve in Game 2.
