Eastern Conference finals preview
Game 1 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Boston (Ch. 5)
The matchup: Boston and Cleveland will meet in the Eastern Conference finals for the second year in a row, but both teams have undergone near-complete overhauls since the Cavaliers eliminated the Celtics in five games last year. Only four players on each side remain from that series.
Celtics update
The Celtics finished second in the East (55-27), increasing their win total for the fifth consecutive season under coach Brad Stevens. They may not have anyone of LeBron James' stature, but they have a complete team that's clicking. Rookie Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are two of the game's rising young stars, and Cleveland native Terry Rozier has emerged as a postseason menace, filling in for the injured Kyrie Irving. Tatum averaged 23.6 points in Round 2 against the 76ers while shooting 52.4 percent from the field. He has scored 20 or more points in seven straight games. Al Horford has scored in double figures in each of Boston's 12 games this postseason, and he has five double-doubles. Reserve guard Shane Larkin has a left shoulder sprain and is working toward a return sometime in this series. Boston is 7-0 at home this postseason.
Cavaliers update
The Cavaliers finished fourth in the East with a regular-season record of 50-32. LeBron James is trying to reach the NBA Finals for the eighth consecutive season — something only four players have done, and they were all Celtics: Bill Russell (10), Sam Jones (nine), Tom Heinsohn (nine) and Frank Ramsey (eight). James has bounced the Celtics from the playoffs four times in the past seven years, and he has won six straight postseason games in Boston, averaging 34.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists in those victories. In these playoffs, he's crossed the 40-point mark four times, recorded two triple-doubles and hit two game-winning buzzer-beaters. Kevin Love was rendered ineffective in Round 1 by the Pacers, but coach Tyronn Lue stuck with him and in doing so might have prolonged Cleveland's season. This is the eighth time Cleveland and Boston have met in the postseason. The Cavaliers have won the past two meetings.
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