LeBron defers on Warriors thoughts: ‘It’s too stressful’

The Cavaliers have won 12-of-13 games on their way to a third consecutive Finals appearance, a continuation of the three-year march through the Eastern Conference playoffs that, record wise, has surpassed LeBron James’ runs to the Finals as a member of the Heat.

Sentinel and Enterprise staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.

After being sidelined with a hip injury following Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, the seriousness of the injury was unclear. He watched Game 5 in street clothes.

As the Cavaliers and Warriors prepare to meet in the NBA Finals for the third straight year, the Warriors are the prohibitive favorite. The Cavs had eight days off in between their sweeps of the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors, and they waited 10 days to play the Celtics.

They first met during the 2015 NBA Finals, LeBron James’ first season back in Cleveland following his South Beach experience. So it makes it even more hard. Cleveland’s perennial joyride to the Finals rolls over minor speedbump after minor speedbump.

“We need the best possible player that’s gonna help us win, and I’m with that”, said Thomas.

Still, it wouldn’t have mattered either way.

The Celtics lost that game by 44 points to fall behind 0-2 in the best-of-seven series, then announced the next day that Thomas was done for the season. Green hit LeBron in the groin, was suspended for Game 5 and Klay Thompson said postgame that, “I guess [LeBron’s] feelings got hurt”.

The Celtics ended with minus 7.8 in offensive efficiency against the Cavs in the regular season, and an even worse minus 20 during the conference finals. Irving is just 25. The Warriors are a ideal 12-0 in the playoffs this season.

The good news is that the pieces are in place for that to happen.

“That starts with All-Star Isaiah Thomas, whose name has lately been the subject of trade speculation”.

The 28-year-old Thomas reaffirmed that he can see himself in Boston deep into the future but knows the Celtics have hard decisions looming with both Thomas and guard Avery Bradley set to reach unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2018.

In 2016, it looked like everything was going the Warriors’ way.

The individual games are not that much different than what we usually get. “We still, obviously, have to keep growing as a group”.

“I’ve only seen one (doctor) but we’ve sent the information to a few of them”, he said. This city, this organization, you guys have been the best media to me that I’ve been around. In a series full of megastars like Howe, Terry Sawchuk, Ted Lindsay and Red Kelly in Detroit and Richard, Jean Beliveau, Doug Harvey and Boom Boom Geoffrion in Montreal, it was an unsung player who became the hero. If the Celtics are committed to signing Thomas long-term next summer, he might be on board with that plan in hopes of building a sustainable contender. “We’d love it if we could win in four games, that would be great”, Green said with a smile. [Celtics president of basketball operations] Danny [Ainge] was right there.

Kelly Olynyk is the biggest name of any of the Celtics impending free agents.

“I wear the number because of Mike”, James said. But if they’re going to make the jump from nice little story to true National Basketball Association title contender, there is a lot more work to be done.