3-0! Eastern Conference powerhouse sweeps the Cavaliers! Harden's toughest championship opponent

Eastern Conference Finals preview, Celtics defeat Cavaliers 109-98 on the road.

Celtics stats:

Cavaliers stats:

Although Tatum still needs time to regain his game rhythm and shooting touch, in his two comeback games he shot 12 out of 32 total, a 37.5% field goal percentage, totaling 35 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists, he still helped the Celtics achieve a perfect winning record, including defeating a highly formidable opponent like the Cavaliers. Clearly, his return has not hindered the team's continued strong momentum.

It is particularly noteworthy thatthe Celtics have achieved a 3-0 sweep against the Cavaliers this season, the other two victories were a 125-105 home win in October last year, and a 117-115 road win in late November last year.

As the 2024 championship team, the Celtics possess a very well-developed and mature system. This season so far, they have the league-best average points allowed per game at 106.9, offensive efficiency at 119.8 and opponent field goal percentage limited to 44% both rank second, average three-pointers made per game at 15.4 ranks third, average rebounds per game at 46.4 ranks fourth, defensive efficiency at 111.6 ranks fifth, etc.

It seems that as long as the Celtics are present, the Cavaliers will struggle to advance from the East this year, naturally having no connection to the championship. Even though 36-year-old Harden has moved away from the hell-mode Western Conference, he might still face a season ending without success.

So far, in the 10 games Harden has played for the Cavaliers, he averages 33.5 minutes per game, contributing 19.1 points, 5 rebounds, and 8.1 assists, with shooting percentages of 45.7%, 44.6%, and 80%. During this period, the team has an 8-2 record, yet his personal performance is far from his best; during his time with the Clippers this season, he averaged 25.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.

This season so far, the Celtics have a 43-21 record, ranking second in the East, only 3 wins behind the top-ranked Pistons (45-17); the Cavaliers hold a 39-25 record, ranking fourth in the East, 1.5 wins behind the third-place Knicks (41-24).