I was a senior in high school the last time the Boston Celtics faced the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. That marked the LeBron James era. However, Boston steamrolled their way to the NBA Finals. Advancing to win their first NBA championship since the 1985-1986 season, they might be following a similar trajectory this year. Instead of Paul Pierce squaring off against LeBron, this time, it’s the backcourt matchups that will highlight the series.
As we know, the Celtics finished first in the Eastern Conference and 16 games ahead of Cleveland. After Jrue Holiday’s arrival in the offseason, he and Derrick White have teamed up, making the case for both to be named to the All-Defense First Team.
With such unique skillsets, Boston has one of the best perimeter defenders and shot blockers in the backcourt. In the postseason, both C’s guards have a 96.6 defensive efficiency when on the court, according to ESPN.
While the Cavaliers were fourth in the East at 48-34, they had a unique season. Headlined by Donovan Mitchell, who averaged a team-high 28.7 points per game, the Cavaliers managed to stay afloat amid several injuries.
Backcourt companion Darius Garland missed 25 games on the season due to injuries. Ironically, he suffered a fractured jaw against the Celtics, which kept him out of commission for over a month. Now fully healthy, it’s been the backcourt matchup we’ve all been waiting for.
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Jrue Holiday
There’s a reason why Brad Stevens traded for and extended Holiday to a 4-year, $135M extension. Although Holiday’s scoring averages took a hit, the guard has brought several aspects to the C’s lineup, which led them to an NBA-best 64-18 record. A flamethrower from the corner, Holiday shot a career-best 42.9 percent beyond the arc and 60.67 percent from the corner.
Offensively, Holiday’s production has decreased, averaging 7.8 points in five games against the Miami Heat. Although his scoring was abysmal in Game 3, he played a key part in making Tyler Herro’s life difficult. With Jimmy Butler out for the first-round series, Holiday kept Miami’s leading scoring in check. Herro shot just 9-17 when guarded by Holiday.
With Jaylen Brown expected to clamp down on Donovan Mitchell, expect Holiday to match up with Garland, who shot over 43 percent from deep in three games against Boston on the season. A versatile and tenacious defender, it’s up to Holiday and White to interrupt the flow of their offense. Inconsistent against a young and inexperienced Orlando Magic squad, Garland scored 14.9 points on just 44.9 percent field goal shooting.
Streaky over seven games against Orlando, Garland scored 19 points in Games 3 and 4. Although he had a captivating performance in Game 5, Garland shot a miserable 3-13 in their game seven victory. If Holiday is tasked with guarding Garland, the Cleveland guard was 5-10 from the field against him in the regular season series. Among the NBA’s best defenders, Holiday is not afraid to bully in the paint, and will challenge any opposing player defensively inside.
Derrick White
The Celtics have a ton of household names. However, Derrick White set the tone offensively in the series against Miami — truly the most underrated player in the league, White is a tremendous two-way player. Heading into this series, White will look to extend his success defensively and disrupt the Cavaliers on the defensive end.
Sure, the Heat suffered major injuries in the first round against the Celtics. However, that didn’t stop White from shooting the rock. Averaging 22.4 points, White shot 57.7 from the floor and 47.7 from deep. While the Celtics have the Jays, White is playing exceptionally and will be the ultimate x-factor in the series.
Igniting the Heat for a career-high 38 points in Game 4, White shot 8-15 from deep and was the catalyst to the C’s victory. The hero in Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against Miami, White is proving why he’s the most impactful player on the Celtics roster.
White and the C’s will get a Cavaliers team that was fairly inconsistent on both sides of the ball over the season. Putting up 11.3 points on 50 percent three-point shooting in three regular-season games, I expect him to be a monumental force in moving the ball on offense and suffocating the Cavaliers on defense.
Speaking of defense, I wouldn’t be surprised if White was Garland’s primary defender. Through three regular-season matchups, Garland was held to 3-12 shooting against White.
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Donovan Mitchell
We all know Donovan Mitchell is the leader and ultimate x-factor for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Leading the Cavs to their first playoff win since the LeBron James era, Mitchell had a combined 89 points in Games 6 and 7 against the Orlando Magic. Scoring 50 points on 22-36 field goal shooting in Game 6, it was Mitchel’s 39 points that propelled the Cavaliers to a series victory.
The backcourt matchup of Garland and Mitchell has the potential to be lethal, and we’ve seen “Spida” take over games, especially against Orlando. While his takeover seems inevitable, Mitchell poured in 24 of his 39 points against the Magic in the second half of Game 7. With a true All-Star performance, Mitchell helped the Cavaliers overcome an 18-point deficit to move onto the second round.
With Brown likely to be Mitchell’s primary defender, the Cleveland star hasn’t shied away against Boston. Averaging 30 points in two games against the C’s, Mitchell scored 31 and 29 points. If Mitchell is going to explode for the Cavaliers, the Celtics must keep Garland and the rest of the offense stagnant. Of the backcourt matchups, Holiday certainly possesses the size to defend Mitchell when Brown isn’t.
Although he scored a combined 59 points against Boston that year, he shot just 7-21 from beyond the arc. Without Celtics killer Dean Wade and possibly Jarrett Allen, fate will lie in Mitchell’s hands.
Darius Garland
Garland is an incredible backcourt partner for Donovan Mitchell, and their potential is endless. This series will ultimately come down to which backcourt can dominate and control the pace. An incredibly crafty and gifted player, Garland is a speedy guard who can make plays through his scoring or facilitating. The question comes down to consistency, and whether he can survive the defensive prowess of White and Holiday.
Having success against Boston this season, Garland averaged 20.3 points and 43.5 percent three-point shooting against them this season. The Cavalier’s second-leading scorer and primary facilitator, the Celtics must shut him down, just like Orlando did throughout the series.
