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NBA Playoffs 2017: 5 big questions for Cavaliers vs. Celtics matchup

By Akash Anavarathan

Apr 5, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) drives the ball against Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) in the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) drives the ball against Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) in the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 5, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) and forward Channing Frye (8) defend against Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) in the second half at TD Garden. The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 114-91. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) and forward Channing Frye (8) defend against Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) in the second half at TD Garden. The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 114-91. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Can the Celtics keep the Cavaliers off the glass?

The Celtics can be really good defensively in this series, but it won’t matter if the Cavaliers continue to destroy them on the glass. The Celtics are one of the worst teams in the league in terms of rebounding, while the Cavaliers are one of the best.

During the regular season, the Celtics ranked 27th in total rebounding, and 22nd in both defensive and offensive rebounding. The Cavaliers on the other hand were ranked 12th in total rebounding and seventh in defensive rebounding.

The Cavaliers front-line features elite rebounders in Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love. Against the Celtics during the regular season, Thompson and Love combined for 25 rebounds per game, not even accounting for LeBron’s 9.5 rebounds per game. To put it in perspective, the Celtics’ top five rebounders against the Cavaliers averaged 25.8 rebounds per game. As a team, Cleveland had seven more rebounds per game, and three more offensive rebounds per game and all those extra possessions will become that much more valuable in the playoffs.

The Celtics will have a tough time in this series trying to keep the Cavaliers off the glass, especially if they choose to go to their small lineups. When the Celtics go to Kelly Olynyk as their big man, how will they be able to keep Love or Thompson off the glass?

It’s going to be an important facet to this series and it’ll be one of the first things to watch in Game 1 when this series begins.

Next: What each NBA coach would be doing if he wasn’t an NBA coach

The top-two seeds in the Eastern Conference face off starting Wednesday night for a ticket to the NBA Finals. It’s been a series that Boston has envisioned since the start of their tenure under Brad Stevens. LeBron and the Cavaliers have their minds set on repeating as champions. Will a young Boston nucleus get in the way of this juggernaut Cleveland team and their goal to win a championship? The Celtics are playing with house money and no expectations, maybe they can get some luck of the Irish as well.

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