The Celtics are up early on LeBron and the Cavs, and things are going about as you’d expect given Kevin Love’s absence. LeBron has been doing it all, though a few times it’s been apparent that LeBron might be forcing things a bit, especially on the defensive end.
Take this play, for example, where after a made jumper, LeBron correctly reads that Terry Rozier wants to push it to Jayson Tatum on the wing, and elects to gamble for the steal. It’s thrilling for us at home, because we get to see LeBron go all out athletically in a very short burst. It’s less thrilling for the guy sitting courtside who very clearly does not have the reaction time of LeBron James:
Ouch.
But, if you’re going to get run over by someone, it may as well be LeBron.
Imagine getting trucked by Jeff Green instead, no one wants that.
Anyway the Celtics are up 26-18 after the first quarter. LeBron has 12 of Cleveland’s 18, and he might end up having to score an even higher percentage for them to have a chance.
