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Their odds of getting to the Finals are the same as every other East playoff team that's not the Cavs.

Yes.

Multiple teams in the east got weaker.

The Celtics have a chance. A good chance? No.

They made changes to the roster, but I'm not sure they got significantly better. And we don't know how the locker room dynamic is going to work. Not sure their starting lineup is significantly better than the other top 5 teams in the east either. Brad Stevens' coaching is probably their most valuable asset though, and likely gives them a shot.

Teams with the top players usually get to the Finals. The Cavs, Wizards and Bucks have the best player on the court, whenever those teams get to meet the Celtics.

Cavaliers: James, Irving and Love
Celtics: Hayward, Thomas and Horford
Wizards: Wall, Beal and Porter
Raptors: Derozen, Lowry and Ibaka
Bucks: Antetokuonmpo, Middleton and Monroe

Looking at it, If Milwaukee gets rid of Dellavedova, picks up a half decent PG, and Parker comes back 90%, they may have a better and deeper rotation than Boston.

fileman3 wrote:LBJ will be 33 next year lol. this cant last forever

It can last a while longer. Still by FAR the best player, 100% healthy, zero injury history and is still close to his athletic peak.

DK-All Day wrote:

anarchy24 wrote: Like someone else said, no chance unless Lebron is injured.

So let's say Kyrie and Love go down with season ending injuries, do they beat the Celtics then? Even with LeBron?

The Celtics would beat the Cavs without Kyrie and Love IMO. It would be special circumstances, but it happened before.

Yeah but that's all hypothetical when bringing in injuries.

If Isaiah Thomas and Gordon Hayward go down with season ending injury then do the Celtics even make playoffs? Like you said, special circumstances.

They have a chance something any Celtics fan couldn't say the past couple years now. I wouldn't say it's great or anything, it's still slim the only thing that would give them a legit chance is if Lebron somehow declines or Kyrie is out or playing at 40%. Other factors say Tatum has a great rookie season, Jaylen takes a big step, or Smart takes a big step can help their chances. Other than that, Cleveland should still be heavy favorites in a probable tougher series than this past season.

LloydFree wrote:The Celtics have a chance. A good chance? No.

They made changes to the roster, but I'm not sure they got significantly better. And we don't know how the locker room dynamic is going to work. Not sure their starting lineup is significantly better than the other top 5 teams in the east either. Brad Stevens' coaching is probably their most valuable asset though, and likely gives them a shot.

Teams with the top players usually get to the Finals. The Cavs, Wizards and Bucks have the best player on the court, whenever those teams get to meet the Celtics.

Cavaliers: James, Irving and Love
Celtics: Hayward, Thomas and Horford
Wizards: Wall, Beal and Porter
Raptors: Derozen, Lowry and Ibaka
Bucks: Antetokuonmpo, Middleton and Monroe

Looking at it, If Milwaukee gets rid of Dellavedova, picks up a half decent PG, and Parker comes back 90%, they may have a better and deeper rotation than Boston.

Good, Bring him home. Milwaukee doent deserve him.

<3 you Delly

LloydFree wrote:The Celtics have a chance. A good chance? No.

They made changes to the roster, but I'm not sure they got significantly better. And we don't know how the locker room dynamic is going to work. Not sure their starting lineup is significantly better than the other top 5 teams in the east either. Brad Stevens' coaching is probably their most valuable asset though, and likely gives them a shot.

Teams with the top players usually get to the Finals. The Cavs, Wizards and Bucks have the best player on the court, whenever those teams get to meet the Celtics.

Cavaliers: James, Irving and Love
Celtics: Hayward, Thomas and Horford
Wizards: Wall, Beal and Porter
Raptors: Derozen, Lowry and Ibaka
Bucks: Antetokuonmpo, Middleton and Monroe

Looking at it, If Milwaukee gets rid of Dellavedova, picks up a half decent PG, and Parker comes back 90%, they may have a better and deeper rotation than Boston.

Not the Wizards. Boston proved it this year, and would beat them again if they met.

NoBias wrote:

LloydFree wrote:The Celtics have a chance. A good chance? No.

They made changes to the roster, but I'm not sure they got significantly better. And we don't know how the locker room dynamic is going to work. Not sure their starting lineup is significantly better than the other top 5 teams in the east either. Brad Stevens' coaching is probably their most valuable asset though, and likely gives them a shot.

Teams with the top players usually get to the Finals. The Cavs, Wizards and Bucks have the best player on the court, whenever those teams get to meet the Celtics.

Cavaliers: James, Irving and Love
Celtics: Hayward, Thomas and Horford
Wizards: Wall, Beal and Porter
Raptors: Derozen, Lowry and Ibaka
Bucks: Antetokuonmpo, Middleton and Monroe

Looking at it, If Milwaukee gets rid of Dellavedova, picks up a half decent PG, and Parker comes back 90%, they may have a better and deeper rotation than Boston.

Not the Wizards. Boston proved it this year, and would beat them again if they met.

If the Wizards have home court advantage and/or if IT drops off too much from last year, the Wizards could beat the Celtics. Same with the Raptors.

Not with the Cavaliers and Knicks in their way.

Assuming no injuries there's little chance the Celtics make the finals.

I would say they have 0% chance

It depends on whether Pauline Georgie and Jimmy Butcher will show up. Must keep an eye on lemarcus Cousy too. I wouldnt bet against Antonio Davidson.

Better chance Celtics lose first round than make the finals.

I give the Celtics a better chance than most people here are going to give them. Aside from Lebron/Kyrie/Love I think the Cav's roster is seriously lacking. I also think the Cav's know what they'll be facing in the Finals... and it's an impossible feat. I think that kills their motivation to an extent. Lebron has more milage over the past 7 years than anyone in the NBA right now... and this GS team is literally unbeatable. He averaged a triple double in the Finals this season... The Cavs had to literally break multiple single game records just to accomplish ONE single win against the Warriors in the Finals. It was a joke. I think his motivation is going to be slightly lacking because he knows in the back of his head it's an impossible feat. He knows that this season is a throw away. He knows there's nothing his team can do to bolster the roster with enough firepower to put a dent in GS. If I'm Lebron... I'd put it on cruise control and use this coming season as a practice round...keep the game tight, but give the body a slight rest. Then try to maneuver to a situation with some other solid stars to make a run back at GS. Reload, and circle back around.

The Celtics, Bucks, Raps, and Wiz are all hungry and loaded with motivation to at least get to the finals...even though none of them has a chance to even a single game.

Now as for the Celtics... they've got a solid team, a good coach, some young bucks that could make a jump this season, some defensive antagonists (crowder/smart), and they've got some depth. I like their chances. Get them a solid rim protector and I think they've got a ticket to get to the finals.

If they make it to the finals... they get swept in the most boring, and nonchalant finals ever.

If LeBron James and Kyrie Irving are on the court for the Cavs, no chance whatsoever they lose 4 times in 7 games.

fileman3 wrote:LBJ will be 33 next year lol. this cant last forever

so?
the fact is he had his best playoffs a few months ago in his entire career.

So hard to say with the changes but I really, really, didn't like them moving Bradley. I think he is a great player for the atmosphere and intensity of playoff basketball. I think he will be missed even though I understand he would have cost too much in the near future.

Are we assuming Ainge trades some draft picks for a good to great player at the all star break? Based on recent history the answer to that is no, so based on what we have today, Boston has very little chance of making the 2018 finals, in fact there is a better chance of them not even making the Eastern FInals, than them making the 2018 NBA FInals. Team is only marginally better, and would expect them to lose to either the WIzards or Bucks (or Cavs) in the second round this year.

Nightperzon wrote:Better chance Celtics lose first round than make the finals.

What do u wanna bet that if our starting 5 is healthy we win the first round. I'm open. Holla at me.