Halftime Hot Takes: THESE are the undefeated Cavs????

We’re midway by way of Tuesday’s NBA Cup matchup between the Boston Celtics and the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers and issues are going glorious. The Celtics are up 17 and could possibly be en path to a key group-stage win.

Are we positive this crew is the undefeated one we’ve heard about for weeks???

Now, prepare for some Halftime Sizzling Takes, buddy.

7 p.m. Begin occasions won’t be the most effective for Celtics followers

This recreation is without doubt one of the most intriguing matchups of the season thus far. But, there have been nonetheless a ton of empty seats in The Backyard after tip-off.

It felt like a Miami Warmth recreation in right here for some time.

I get it. The NBA desires to make the Cup really feel particular and begin all the early-slate video games on the identical time in an effort to extend viewership. That’s nice and all, however the product actually suffers when folks don’t have sufficient time to get to their seats because of visitors or busy T strains.

By the primary TV timeout, issues had stuffed out a bit and the constructing had some juice, however man was the vitality low to begin off such a highly-anticipated matchup.

The Gradual-Begin Celtics could be lifeless

Over the previous week or so, the Celtics have develop into notorious for sleepwalking out of the gates. In that span, they fell behind early in opposition to the Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets (twice), Milwaukee Bucks, and Atlanta Hawks.

Tuesday’s begin really made it #DifferentHere.

Boston jumped out to a fast 12-4 lead earlier than the primary TV break, then continued to push to get it as much as 20-8.

Jayson Tatum was an enormous a part of the crew’s sturdy begin.

He had his fingerprints everywhere in the recreation with eight factors, 5 rebounds, and three assists all within the opening body.

Tatum’s dominance continued for the rest of the half, the place he completed with 17 factors, eight boards, 4 assists, and a pair of steals. He desires this one.

As an entire, they did an awesome job of shifting the ball and getting Cleveland’s protection out of place. Seven of their ten first-quarter makes have been off of assists and 5 got here from past the arc.

The hassle on the defensive finish felt totally different as effectively. The Cs allowed simply 20 factors within the opening body. There have been a couple of lapses, however general they rotated effectively, stored the ball in entrance of them, and made the guests should earn their seems.

I can’t inform if the Celtics needs to be up by extra or not

Often, while you’re watching a basketball recreation, there’s a really feel to how issues are going. For instance, you may search for on the scoreboard and be shocked that it’s solely a five-point recreation, regardless of your favourite crew taking part in horribly.

There are different nights that they will’t appear to tug away although it looks like the whole lot goes proper.

This primary half was a little bit of a combination.

The aforementioned sturdy begin was nice, however the Cs have been solely up by six on the finish of the primary quarter. Then there have been stretches the place we noticed a Jaylen Brown and the boys lineup on the market, seemingly having to wrestle for each bucket, however someway Boston didn’t lose a lot floor.

Towards the tip of the second, they actually hit their stride and pulled away from the lossless Cavs. Tatum’s seventeenth level of the half introduced Boston’s result in simply as many, proper earlier than the break.

Contemplating that the Cs shot 14-22 from deep and held Cleveland to simply 43.2% taking pictures, that quantity is acceptable, proper?

Ought to they be up extra?

With the best way that the whole lot appeared to work out, perhaps they need to be. This isn’t me complaining. However, in the event that they go chilly right here, be ready for a little bit of a scare.