With a win in Game 5 on Wednesday night, the Boston Celtics will punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference for the third consecutive season and their sixth in the last eight years.
The path to doing so seems to be clearing up a bit, as the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are 1-4 on the road this season, being outscored by an average of 13.8 points per game, will be without three key rotation players in Donovan Mitchell (calf strain), Jarrett Allen (ribs), and Caris LeVert (knee).
“We prepare the same way. We expect them to come out battling, fighting,” Al Horford said on preparing for a potentially shorthanded Cavs team. “We have to be able to match that regardless. I feel like our group responded pretty well from last game.”
Mitchell, who is averaging 31.7 points on 51.5% shooting from the field and 53.3% from deep this series with 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists, will be sidelined for the second consecutive game.
In Game 4, the Cavaliers kept things competitive in Mitchell’s absence behind a 30-point night from Darius Garland, 15 first-half points from Max Strus, and 14 second-half points from Evan Mobley.
Garland’s 30-point effort was the second of his postseason career.
“Just the competion that we expect every single day,” head coach JB Bickerstaff said on what he hopes to see from his group in Game 5. “The selfless style of play. Understanding the moment -- what we’re facing, what’s in front of us. Focus on possession by possession.”
LeVert is a crucial blow to Cleveland. The Michigan product made his first start of the postseason in Game 4 – filling in for Mitchell – and contributed 19 points on 9-of-18 (50.0%) shooting from the field, five boards, three assists, two steals, and a block in 39 minutes.
The 6-foot-6 wing has scored 15 points in four of his last five playoff games.
Without him, Cleveland is down another ball-handler.
Allen will miss his eighth consecutive game due to a rib injury he suffered in the Cavs’ opening-round series with the Orlando Magic. The big man played in 77 games in the regular season, all starts, averaging 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks.
Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis is the lone absentee for Boston, as he will be sidelined for the sixth consecutive game. The big man appeared to be moving much better and saw increased floor activity on Monday in Cleveland.
“I haven’t watched his rehab, but he’s working hard and trying to get back, and he’s made better steps,” Joe Mazzulla said Monday. “All I know is that he’s working really hard to try and get back as fast as he can.”
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