Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 keys to conference finals vs. Celtics

5. Take away Boston’s winning plays

There are players in this league whose success isn’t based solely on their abilities, it’s based on their desire to win.

These guys would probably break their arm intentionally if it helped their team’s chances of winning, but more often than not, that desire manifests itself by things like chasing down loose balls or taking charges.

Boston’s roster is littered with those types of players, as Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier (among others) always seem to make that one play that swings the game in the Celtics’ favor.

The Cavaliers have players that want to win. Don’t get that mistaken. But they haven’t shown the desire to do it in gritty fashion quite like this.

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/994413424925904897

Throughout the Celtics’ playoff run, their victories have been filled with key steals down the stretch or flying out of nowhere to snatch a rebound late to get an extra possession. In order for Cleveland to advance, it should look to eliminate these types of plays, and the way to do that is very simple: Effort.

When a shot goes up, everyone is boxing out their man. A loose ball appears? A Cavalier is the first one to it. When it comes to avoiding charges and turnovers, it’s about being smart with the basketball, but everything else boils down to who wants it more.

These singular moments over the course of the game may not seem like a big deal, but Boston usually wins games on account of such moments, feeding off the momentum it gives the entire team.

If the Cavaliers want to keep their playoff run alive, they’ll make sure the C’s never get the chance to make those plays.