NBA Playoffs 2018 Conference Finals Live: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics

Most of the Celtics had a good shooting night and they defended stoutly on home court. They will be proud of their Game 1 performance and Brad Stevens will surely be passing some high-fives around the locker room. However, a ticked-off LeBron James is probably the worst opponent in the history of the game to face in Game 2, as he showed against Indiana. The Celtics need to make sure that they keep up their intensity on the defensive end in the same manner in their next game.

As a Celtics fan, I was glad to take you through the proceedings tonight. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda's coverage of the unmissable playoff basketball brought to you by the best players in the world. This is me, Amulya Shekhar, signing off.

The @celtics protect home court and win Game 1!

BOS defeats @cavs 108-83 to take a 1-0 ECF series lead!

Jaylen Brown: 23 PTS
Morris: 21 PTS, 10 REB
Horford: 20 PTS. 6 AST
Jayson Tatum: 16 PTS, 6 REB
Terry Rozier: 8 PTS, 8 AST#CUsRise #NBAPlayoffs

LBJ: 15 PTS, 9 AST, 7 REB pic.twitter.com/eGAZlGTt5D
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2018

Greg Monroe powers his way in through the Cavaliers' soft center and makes it 108-81.

A slew of garbage time garbage shots ensue for a couple of minutes, before Semi Ojeleye scores off a 3-point play to take the score to 106-81.

Jeff Green makes another pair of free throws to take the score to 81-101, but Abdel Nader lays in off a pick-and-roll play to take the lead back to 22.

Jeff Green makes both free throws after a foul by Abdel Nader. 79-101.

Jordan Clarkson answers back with a 3 of his own.

The Cavs' garbage time lineup has 4 points as compared to 2 by the Celtics, who still have Rozier and Marcus Morris on the court. Morris hits a 3-pointer to take his total to the night to 21.

Cleveland replaces LeBron James with Cedi Osman, as expected.

LeBron's box score statline of 15 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists might be one that 95% of NBA players would kill to have, but his 7 turnovers are as ugly as they come.

The Cavaliers have been blown out in these playoffs before this, but they have never been as thoroughly dominated as tonight. LeBron had 8 turnovers in 4 games against the Raptors, but he has 7 in this very game already, and it is exceedingly unlikely that he sees the rest of the quarter.

"Tatum shake & bake 3-pointer...BANG!"

18-4 @celtics burst in the 4th #NBAonABC #CUsRise 96 | #WhateverItTakes 68 pic.twitter.com/5qR657ZmO3
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2018

The Celtics continue their excellent defensive performance with another stop, and Terry Rozier brings the ball up the court before dishing to Marcus Smart for an open 3. Smart misses, however, the long rebound is taken up by Tatum who gives it back to Rozier. Scary Terry goes all Uncle Drew on the Cavs' defense before laying it in with his left hand to make the score 96-68, and that forces Lue to call his final timeout of the night.

Marcus Morris is fouled on his drive by Rodney Hood. He makes both free throws. The Celtics get another stop, and Jayson Tatum shakes and bakes his way to his second 3-pointer of the night and takes the score to 94-68.

LeBron commits his 6th turnover of the night.

Rodney Hood converts a tough layup coming in from the right corner and takes the score to 68-85, but Marcus Smart answers with his own turnaround layup to take the lead back to 19 points.

James is having an off shooting night, and he misses another jumpshot. Terry Rozier misses a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, however, and Clarkson uses a pick to lay it in and make the score 66-85.

Jayson Tatum powers his way in for two!@celtics begin the 4th on a 7-0 run on #NBAonABC #CUsRise 85 | #WhateverItTakes 64 pic.twitter.com/99IngmEx5x
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2018

🚨 Jeff Green as time expires! 🚨#WhateverItTakes #NBAonABC pic.twitter.com/uDMZAnnVeO
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2018

Marcus Smart makes his first 3-pointer of the night from the right corner to swell the lead to 83-64. Jayson Tatum brings it back up the court off a Cavs miss and lays it in to take it to 85-64, and Ty Lue has seen enough to call his 6th timeout of the night. The Cavs now have just 1 remaining to finish the game.

Marcus Morris starts the 4th quarter with a missed shot, but he authoritatively stuffs in his own rebound to make it 80-64.

LeBron drives right for the and-1!#TripleDoubleWatch with 15 PTS, 9 AST, 6 REB for LBJ.#WhateverItTakes #NBAonABC pic.twitter.com/kjJfNMNNkO
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2018

Jeff Green hits a buzzer-beater at the end of the quarter to make it 64-78 as Semi Ojeleye plays the rebounding situation somewhat clumsily and turns it over to Green.

Kevin Love knocks down a couple of free throws in consecutive posssessions for the Cavs as LeBron sits. It's 62-78 now.

Marcus Morris knocks down a 3-pointer from the left wing off a drive-and-kick from Jayson Tatum.

LeBron scores a layup and the and-1 free throw on a possession in which he got matched up with Aron Baynes.

Kevin Love scores off a floater on a mismatch inside the paint to make it 55-75. Marcus Smart misses an open 3-pointer on the ensuing play, but Korver misses in return himself as the Cavs call a timeout before inbounding the ball off a deflected rebound from Terry Rozier.

Jaylen Brown fires and has 23 in the game!#CUsRise 75 | #WhateverItTakes 55

📺" #NBAonABC pic.twitter.com/b8Domc3ipL
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2018

The Celtics commit a defensive 3-second violation to hand the Cavs a free throw, but they enforce a 24-second violation on that very play. Their defense has indeed been exemplary tonight.

George Hill scores off a layup to make it 52-72, but Jaylen Brown scores his third 3 of the night to restore the lead to 23.

James draws contact and misses the layup, and he's protesting with the officials as Horford lays it in on the other end through contact himself. 72-52.

LeBron misses his characteristic left-wing 3-pointer, but Horford misses as well. Korver connects on his 3-pointer to make the score 50-70.

Jayson Tatum misses a 3, but Al Horford dishes the offensive rebound to Marcus Morris who does not miss. The Celtics lead 70-47.

This is the longest LeBron has taken to reach the 10-point mark in a playoff game this year. He makes both his free throws to take the scores to 47-67.

JR Smith hits a layup as the Cavs cut the lead to 22. He effects a steal off a Kyle Korver deflection before LeBron James is fouled by Al Horford on a drive. Brad Stevens calls for a timeout with 06:54 left in the 3rd quarter.

Al Horford is on fire! 🔥🔥🔥

7-7 FGM for 18 PTS on #NBAonABC #CUsRise #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/CkOyBUXR8n
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2018

Jaylen Brown reaches the 20-point mark in 21 minutes with a runner. George Hill makes the Cavs' second to take it to 43-67.

Horford is rolling as he downs his 7th consecutive field goal to make it an 18-point night for him. Korver answers with the Cavs' first 3-pointer of the game to make it 40-65.

Tatum picks up a charge, but he steals the ball to lead a fast break before getting fouled.

LBJ denial to start the 2nd half!#WhateverItTakes x #CUsRise back on #NBAonABC pic.twitter.com/EYN5scKs1k
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2018

LeBron answers with a thunderous dunk. 37-63.

Horford scores the first points of the quarter with a layup past LeBron's block attempt. Score at 63-35.

Morris gets blocked by James, but Clarkson misses another 3-pointer as the Cavs are still scoreless from downtown.

JR Smith misses the Cavs' first shot after the restart.

Jaylen Brown getting it done on both ends!

Another 19-8 sprint for the @celtics on #NBAonABC #CUsRise 61 | #WhateverItTakes 35 pic.twitter.com/k01Ed4nT91
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2018

Statement half in Boston 🤐 pic.twitter.com/8m5OJgwtdm
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 13, 2018

In the first quarter alone, the Celtics have more points (36) than the Cavs (35) do at halftime. The best +/- for any Cavs starter today so far is Kyle Korver (-20). The worst +/- for any Celtics starter, on the other hand, is Terry Rozier's +14.

Both the Cavaliers and the Celtics have attempted 12 shots from downtown tonight. Whereas the Cavs have produced a sorry doughnut from long range, the Celtics are generating good looks and are 5-of-12. That is one of the major differences on the night.

The @celtics start fast and shoot 58.5 % from the field in half #1!#CUsRise 61 | #WhateverItTakes 35 at the break.

Jaylen Brown: 18 PTS, 7 REB
Al Horford: 14 PTS, 5 AST, 2 BLK
Jayson Tatum: 9 PTS, 3 REB

LeBron James: 7 PTS, 7 AST, 3 REB#NBAPlayoffs #NBAonABC pic.twitter.com/ourJWka3jI
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2018