Today at 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC, Sunday's slate of NBA Playoffs action kicks off with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the No. 2 seed in the East, taking on the run and gun Boston Celtics in a matchup that can be live streamed free by clicking this link. Cleveland fans can listen to Game 1 on WTAM 1100, while Celtics fans may do likewise on WEEI 93.7.
Few teams have as much pressure on them as the 2014-15 Cavaliers, and even fewer players have as much expectation on their shoulders as Cleveland's star, LeBron James. The Celtics enter the postseason as a No. 7 seed with a sub-.500 record, but they play an up-tempo style that may be able to wear out the veteran-laden Cavs.
Unfortunately for Boston, James remembers his final playoff series as a Cavalier against Boston. "It stuck with me a lot," he said on Friday. He'll be out for payback now, and he won't be underestimating the Celtics because of their underwhelming record.
"Everyone's 0-0 when you get to this point, so our whole game plan right now is giving ourselves a chance to win the game," James said.
The Celtics may be trying to get in the heads of the officials ahead of Game 1, with guard Evan Turner hinting at some potential bias in favor of "King" James.
"You try to make it uncomfortable for him, make him work (defensively), contest his shots," Turner said. "I know he's going to get calls, and I know he's going to make a lot of great plays."
For Boston, they are led by their backcourt. Rookie Marcus Smart is a dogged defender who will likely spend some time guarding LeBron, while Isaiah Thomas, who scored 19 points per game with the C's, provides their scoring punch.
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