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Charles Barkley: Cavs ‘Much Easier’ Matchup For Celtics Than Magic

Originally posted on Hoops Wire | By Sam Amico | Last updated 5/3/24

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a chance to eliminate the Orlando Magic from the NBA playoffs, and that’s exactly what the Boston Celtics should hope happens, according to Charles Barkley.

The Cavs enter Friday’s Game 6 at Orlando with a 3-2 series lead and a chance to close it out. If not, Game 7 is Sunday in Cleveland. If so, Game 1 against the Celtics is also Sunday, but in Boston.

“It’s going to be interesting who they play in the next round. I know they prefer the Cavaliers because that’s the much easier matchup for them,” Barkley said of the Celtics on TNT’s Inside the NBA.

The Celtics very well could be without forward Kristaps Porzingis for all of the second round. Porzingis left Game 4 vs. the Miami Heat in the first round with a calf injury.

“That Orlando team, man, they got so many big bodies,” Barkley added. “(The Celtics) would really miss Porzingis. (The Cavs) ain’t got but two big guys. (The Celtics) can handle two big guys. Orlando’s got six big guys. That’s the difference.”

Boston took care of business without Porzingis, easily dispatching the Heat in Game 5 and winning the series by a 4-1 count.

They won the season series over the Cavs, 2-1, winning back-to-back games in Boston in early December, before losing at Cleveland by one point in March.

Meanwhile, the Cavs have looked pretty decent at home — or at least have won all three home games — but got slaughtered in the first two games in Orlando. They are aiming to change all that and put the series to rest on Friday. And according to Barkley, that would be ideal for the Celtics.