Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said after Game 2 that the Celtics are « gooning the game up. » Several Boston players brushed off the remark and said they are just playing hard.
BOSTON — After the Cleveland Cavaliers lost 107-94 on Tuesday to fall down 0-2 in the Eastern Conference finals, Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said that Boston is « gooning the game up. »
The Celtics didn’t seem to have any problem with the characterization.
« I don’t even know what to say to that, » guard Jaylen Brown said. « I agree, I guess. »
Boston forward Marcus Morris added his assessment.
« Gooning? That’s a good word, » Morris said. « S—, we’re doing what it takes. Whatever it takes, every player, 1 to 15, whatever it takes, that’s what we’re doing. You call it what you want to call it. We’re just trying to get the win. »
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2 Related
Boston overcame a double-digit deficit and a 42-point triple-double from LeBron James to take Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Marcus Smart did a little bit of everything in the Celtics’ Game 2 victory and even earned the praise of LeBron James.
A strained neck wasn’t enough to keep down LeBron James, who suffered the injury in the second quarter of Tuesday’s Game 2 but missed less than two minutes of game action.
Coincidentally, « Whatever It Takes » just so happens to be Cleveland’s official playoff slogan, but the Cavs appear to have run into an opponent that embodies those words more — at least at the moment.
« I mean, we just play hard, » Celtics forward Al Horford said. « We go out there, we compete. It’s Celtics basketball. We’re really embracing Celtics basketball. We’re playing hard. We’ve got each other’s backs, and that’s it. »
It was the Cavs who crossed the line from playing hard to playing dangerous when JR Smith shoved an already-airborne Horford in the back with 3:37 remaining in the fourth quarter, resulting in a flagrant foul 1 on Smith following a review by the officials.
« It was a good call, » Smith said. « I blatantly pushed him. It wasn’t like I was trying to low-bridge him or something to make sure he didn’t get it. It was a good, hard foul. I can understand why they gave me a flagrant. »
After the shove, Marcus Smart got in Smith’s face, causing Smith to push the Celtics guard away and leading to double technicals being called on both players.
« Oh, man, we’re out there to play basketball, » Smart said. « You know, and I just looked at it. Al is a defenseless person. He’s in the air. He can’t control how his body goes, and he’s not even looking. And you go and take two hands to the back; that’s a dirty shot. You just can’t allow that to keep happening. »
Smith has a history of run-ins with the Celtics in the playoffs. In Game 4 of the first round in 2015, Smith was called for a flagrant foul 2 for striking then Boston forward Jae Crowder in the face. Smith was levied a two-game suspension for the act.
« That’s not the first time JR has done some dirty stuff, especially playing against us, » Smart said after Tuesday’s contest. « He’s known for it, especially playing against us. We know that. So you know, it’s like a bully: You keep letting a bully keep picking on you, he’s going to pick on you until you finally stand up, and that’s what I tried to do. One of my guys was down, and I took offense to it. »
2018 NBA Playoffs
Complete coverage| Expert picks| Bracket
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• Cavs know offense will determine their fate
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• How Harden’s sneakers fueled MVP season
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• Celtics have a special brand of toughness
• Is LeBron catching Jordan for GOAT status?
• NBA offseason guides for eliminated teams
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Complete coverage| Expert picks| Bracket
• What you need to know for conference finals
• ESPN Forecast: Who will make the Finals?
• Cavs know offense will determine their fate
• Warriors reassert superiority over Rockets
• How Harden’s sneakers fueled MVP season
• The scariest three minutes in the NBA
• Celtics have a special brand of toughness
• Is LeBron catching Jordan for GOAT status?
• NBA offseason guides for eliminated teams
• Tickets on Vivid Seats
Horford said that, if anything, Smith’s infraction only sharpened the Celtics’ focus.
« I felt like it was uncalled for, that type of play there, but that’s the one thing about the group of our guys, » Horford said. « We have each other’s backs, and it is what it is. We moved on to the next play, and we just locked in even more after that. »
While the referees were consulting the replay monitor, the TD Garden crowd broke out into a loud, « F— you, JR! » chant.
« I love it, » Smith, who shot 0-for-7 for the game, said of the jeers. « I don’t want the opposing fans to like me. That’s not why I’m here. They can chant and scream all they want; it actually makes me feel better about myself. They know me. »
The Celtics did engage in some extracurricular activities after Tristan Thompson fouled Morris in the third quarter and Morris screamed in Thompson’s face while both forwards were still on the floor, all of which led to the two needing to be separated.
« Does it matter? » Thompson asked, responding to a question regarding what Morris said. « I’m not a Chatty Patty, so you’re going to have to ask him that. That s— don’t matter to me. »
What did matter to Thompson was how Cleveland responded to Boston’s physicality overall.
