The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a greater file than the Boston Celtics all season, however that doesn’t imply they’re anticipated to win the Japanese Convention.
Since getting off to a red-hot 15-0 begin to the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been ranked one of the best workforce within the NBA for your entire 12 months, leaving even the Boston Celtics within the mud. The Celtics completed final 12 months’s common season because the title favorites and gained each playoff collection in 4 or 5 video games, cruising to the championship.
This season, a re-tooled New York Knicks workforce and the Cavs may trigger some bother within the East, and if Boston wins the Finals, the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and different doable Western Convention winners gained’t be a cakewalk.
Nevertheless, regardless of their second-place rating, one Celtics’ legend doesn’t assume Boston has an actual menace on their technique to a title.
The Cavs fell to Boston in 5 video games throughout final 12 months’s second spherical, and this season, they’re 2-2 towards the defending champions. The Cavs relied on Donovan Mitchell massively within the two wins, who went off for 35 and 41 factors within the victories.
“The Cavaliers haven’t proven me something, even of their two wins that say, ‘Oh, they’re a menace to the Celtics,’” outlined Paul Pierce on Fox Sports activities’ Converse. “Despite the fact that they gained two video games, however the way in which they gained them… Donovan Mitchell has to go for 40 each evening in each of these video games for them to win.”
Cleveland, it will appear, is an up-and-coming workforce on the rise, though the Cavaliers’ playoff skills stay unsure. The 2 groups have completed their four-game season collection with two wins and two losses apiece, however one neglected issue ought to favor Boston in a playoff collection, even because the highway workforce.
Since LeBron James left Cleveland for the second time in 2018, the Cavaliers have solely been to the playoffs twice and have solely gained a single collection. The success seen to this point this 12 months signifies that each one may change, however the workforce merely lacks expertise.
Between stars Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen, no actual chief on the roster has had any playoff success, together with Mitchell’s stint with the Utah Jazz.
On prime of that, the Celtics have the scale benefit that always comes into play down the stretch of a seven-game collection.
“The Boston Celtics simply have measurement and size and vary, and people are going to be tougher matchups, after which the expertise issue, I imply Max Strus is the one man that will get significant minutes for Cleveland that has been to the Finals,” added Rick Bucher, agreeing with Pierce.
“Whilst you have a Boston Celtics workforce that is aware of precisely what it takes, not solely to get there, however to shut the deal. And Paul can communicate to this in addition to anybody, like that understanding of what it takes to get there’s invaluable for a workforce. In any other case, you’re simply guessing how exhausting it’s important to play.”
As the primary seed, the Cavs should face a Play-In workforce within the first spherical, possible the Miami Warmth or Orlando Magic, earlier than taking up (for now) both the Milwaukee Bucks or Indiana Pacers within the second spherical.
The Bucks’ measurement, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, must be a very good take a look at for the Cavs as they put together to make solely their third Convention Finals ever with out James on the roster.
