Playing the defending champion is always one of the biggest challenges for any team. For the Cavaliers, facing Boston on their home court will have a very special flavor on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday.
Cleveland has just signed a fifteenth consecutive victory by dominating the Hornets to start its season, and can make the pass of 16, to seize the second best start in NBA history. The victory against Charlotte obtained, the entire Ohio franchise already had its next deadline in mind.
“ This is going to be a great test for us » said Kenny Atkinson. “ They obviously have a different style of play, with five players around the 3-point line, five shooters. We got to this point at 15-0, so we need to challenge ourselves against the best to see where we are, see where we have to make adjustments or not. This really comes at the right time. »
Kenny Atkinson, however, did not wait to put his paw on a team that has been performing well in recent seasons, but which was struggling to make a real breakthrough, despite the first round passing during the last playoffs against the Magic.
Bad memories of the last playoffs
Sunday, without Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland took over as leader of the back base (25 points, 12 assists), as he has already been able to do since the start of the season. Luxury sixth man, Ty Jerome was this time integrated into the starting five, and with just as much success (24 points at 9/15, 8 assists). And even the injuries to Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade did not prevent the Cavaliers from finding solutions.
But it was “only” the Hornets facing us, not an opponent like the ones the Cavaliers want to look in the eye. Like the Celtics, who easily dominated them in the conference semi-finals (4-1). The poster is all the more delicious, especially since Cleveland should be able to count on the return of Donovan Mitchell, who had missed the last two games of the series, and on Jarrett Allen who had not taken part in the slightest match.
“ It's revenge » assumes the pivot of the Cavaliers. “ I know they were missing several players. But I wasn't there either, so I want to try to beat them and see where we are compared to them. »
“ It’s great for the NBA, right? » enthuses Kenny Atkinson. “ Everyone will be watching, and I know my players are excited. I know they remember last season. We are playing well. They play well. It’s great for the league, great for our franchise. We can't wait. And at TD Garden, what could be better? »
Cleveland will remember that it had achieved a small feat by winning largely on the Celtics floor during Game 2 last May (94-118). And in the worst case scenario, they can try to reassure themselves with the rest of the November schedule, and four much more affordable games to follow (against the Pelicans, the Raptors, the Hawks then Atlanta)… before taking on the Celtics again. .
