Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics
The Eastern Conference playoffs look a lot different than what was previously predicted. Plenty of betting sites were imagining a different kind of picture for the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Boston Celtics weren’t supposed to make it this far out without Gordon Hayward or Kyrie Irving. The Cleveland Cavaliers looked ready for the offseason when the Indiana Pacers got the 2-1 series lead in the first round. The Celtics were supposed to struggle against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Toronto Raptors were meant to put an end to LeBron James’ rampage with their team basketball.
But none of that happened. We’re in the Eastern Conference Finals, and what we have is a rematch.
Brad Stevens versus Tyronn Lue. LeBron James versus Boston’s entire youth movement. The Celtics versus the Cavaliers.
You cannot make this up. These kinds of storylines are what makes online bookies giggle like crazy.
Talking Points
There wouldn’t be anything to talk about in this series if we don’t discuss the tyrant of the East. King James has been terrorizing the Eastern Conference for a good chunk of the 2010s and he will definitely be the one to watch among the Wine and Gold.
James has had an incredible performance in the playoffs. He scored 34.3 points, grabbed 9.4 rebounds and provided 9.0 assists in 11 playoff games. No 23 also gave fans moments to remember when he scored buzzer-beaters against the Pacers and the Raptors. There’s no doubt that he is the most dangerous man in the league right now.
However, you will not find the Celtics shaking in their sneakers. The Celtics have been heavy underdogs the entire playoffs since Kyrie Irving was ruled out with an injury. The Milwaukee Bucks and the Sixers were favoured to win as their opponents didn’t have any stars.
However, Brad Stevens needed none of that. His brilliant coaching has inspired Terry Rozier and Jayson Tatum to step up and make big-boy numbers for the C’s. The two are scoring close to 20 points per game, effectively replacing Hayward and Irving for this year. They’re playing with so much confidence that Scottie Pippen thinks Boston can take the game to the Cavs.
One more interesting storyline to see from this series matchup is the familiar relationship shared by Tatum and Lue. The coach said that he has known the former Duke standout ever since he was a kid and ever once doubted his talent.
“Seeing the player he’s become – we knew he was gonna be good, but now he’s at a whole new level,” the Cavs head coach said. “Just seeing him coming to Mexico and just coming to my barbecues and all that stuff. Now he’s an NBA player and playing at a high level. It’s just good to see.”
History
This is not the first time the Celtics and the Cavaliers have squared off in the playoffs, and this rivalry has built a lot of interesting stories over the years.
The Boston’s Big Three era of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen stopped LeBron from getting into the finals during his first stint in Cleveland. One can say that the Celtics were the ones at fault for James’ decision to take his talents to South Beach.
In James’ return to Cleveland, the Celtics have long lost their core and were in the middle of a rebuild under Brad Stevens. It took the former Butler coach some time before the then Isaiah Thomas-led Celtics made the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals, only to bow out against the Cavs in five.
The summer following their exit was a big one: they traded star guards as Kyrie Irving looked to escape Bron’s shadow. Isaiah Thomas, who played through his sister’s death for the Celtics, was then sent to the Cavs. The refurbished teams met on the first day of the NBA season, and the world saw Gordon Hayward end his debut season for the C’s with a horrific injury.
Cleveland went on to win the regular season series 2-1, but everyone knows that the season does not matter at this point.
What are the odds?
LeBron James will definitely make noise, and it will be up to the Celtics to trap the Akron, OH native and force his team-mates to take the shot. While Kevin Love and the rest of the Cavaliers have seemingly found their stride against the Raptors, they still need LeBron to close out games for them.
Meanwhile, it is important for the Cavaliers that they interrupt the magic that is going on in Celtic Land. They need to force both Tatum and Rozier to make terrible decisions on the court. They also need to be wary of Al Horford as the Dominican can easily score on any given night.
If you like the Celtics’ chances, you’d be delighted to see Boston +1.00 @ 2.03 as a terrific betting option. Meanwhile, Cleveland -1.50 @ 1.92 is the way to go if you believe James can get the job done.
Other notable match-ups
Golden State Warriors @ Houston Rockets: This is probably the most anticipated matchup of the playoffs. The Houston Rockets won their regular season series against the Golden State Warriors, but the Dubs are slowly getting into their championship form. Can James Harden and Chris Paul stop the basketball madness that is Golden State?
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
