SMTBSI wrote:soxfan2003 wrote:SMTBSI wrote:I'm getting very close to digging up those threads where certain posters laughed at those of us who said the Cavs should still be favored to come out of the east.
No, it's not "different this year". I don't care what it looks like leading up, it's only different after someone finally deposes Lebron, not before.
I have always acknowledged Lebron's greatness but with the way Tatum/Brown/Rozier have played this year, healthy Celtics take them down in relative ease. Just too much talent for Cavs/Lebron to handle.
Last years Celtics team healthy IMHO had zero shot since you are not beating a Lebron led team with IT and Bradley as your starting backcourt unless you perhaps have Duncan and Robinson at PF/C.
If you can't defend Lebron and make him work really hard for points and work hard on D to a lesser extent, he will usually crush you.
Raptors just don't seem like a physically tough team that you kind of need for playoffs.
Don't get me wrong, I can absolutely see us beating them. I'm just not going to be the one prematurely writing Lebron's obituary year after year and being wrong year after year. You'd think New Englanders would know better with Brady being in a similar spot.
We
will overtake him eventually. This year or sometime very soon. And I'll love it when it happens.
Around 2-3 years ago on this forum, I think I said Lebron would be awfully difficult to beat until after next year in all likelihood. For various reasons, I thought he would age very well.
Only reason I think this healthy Celtics could beat them with relative ease is the Celtics would be LOADED. Frankly, Steven's excellent coach but Celtics bench competitive with some lousy teams starters if everyone healthy.
The issue Celtics are facing and it is a HUGE ONE is to keep the talent on the team over the next 3-4 years may actually add up to the biggest payroll in NBA history.
Wyc in the past has stated he is willing to spend the $$$ and go into luxury tax but Celtics are loaded and are not just a team like Cavs with probably the GOAT player, another decent up and down all star (Love) and mediocre role players that can play well an fit reasonably well.