Undermanned Cavaliers drop Game Four

      The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't have Jarrett Allen for game four of their series with the Boston Celtics.

Allen's absence was known entering the game but wasn't known was Donovan Mitchell's unavailability, which placed the Cavaliers as a distinct underdog.

The Cavaliers hung with the Celtics and made Boston work hard throughout the game but it wasn't enough in a 109-102 loss.

Darius Garland led Cleveland with thirty points with Caris LeVert and Evan Mobley each adding nineteen in support.

Boston is one win away from the series victory and they will attempt to close the Cavaliers out on Wednesday in Boston.

Swashbucklings

1) The smoking gun in this game?

The officiating.

Boston shot twenty-four free throws, making twenty-one, while the Cavaliers would attempt only seven, connecting on five.

That's a large discrepancy.

2) That ties into the inside game where without Allen, the Cavaliers outscored Boston 42-38 but despite those moves to the basket, the referees seldom blew the whistle.

I'd think that more than seven free throws should have been shot under those conditions.

3)  The referees didn't have anything to do with the Cavaliers being bullied in the rebounding column with Boston winning that battle by sixteen.

Yes, I know they are missing Jarrett Allen but that margin is far too large to overcome with an undermanned squad.

4) Darius Garland's night was excellent but as the main scoring option, Garland is at his best, I still wonder if Garland's game is adaptable enough to work with Donovan Mitchell on a title contender.

Garland hit twelve of twenty-seven attempts on the evening, four of those from three-point distance.

5) Donovan Mitchell's calf strain is no joke and those injuries can take a while to completely heal.

I'd be surprised if Mitchell can play in game five and even more surprised if Mitchell produces a normal stat line, should he play.

6) Give the Cavaliers and the coaching staff credit, considering everything involved, the Cavaliers gave a good accounting for themselves on a night that it could be excused if they had taken a walloping.

Cleveland played hard, tough, and through questionable officiating to give Boston a good run- I'm okay with it.