ECF: P1 | (2) Boston Celtics vs (4) Cleveland Cavaliers | BOS 2-0

[DTP]

Cavs in 5....people are crazy if they think LeBron is losing to Jaylen Brown & Jason Tatum right now.

[bakesale]

Cavs in 5.
Everyone talks about DDR and Lowry folding against Lebron in the playoffs. How about Horford? He's been killing it this season but then crawls under the table when he sees Lebron.

[estendius]

Very tough series. Only hope it's more competitive than last year .
And I want to see Rozier, Tatum, Brown performance, too.

[antonac]

The only thing that gives Boston a chance is if Brown and Tatum play with youthful abandon knowing full well they'll have many other chances to go on and make finals appearances.

this is where the occasion gets big, and if they get rabbit in headlights syndrome they will be crushed.

of course it's mainly on Horford having a good series, but the calm collected way he's played I'm confident he will.

[UNCBlue012]

Home court will be big because Boston’s ability to finish games at TD is just insane, but Lebron will be way different than anyone the Sixers can throw at them; thankfully, Brad is smart and knows that.

I think The Celtics’ depth actually put them in a good spot here, especially with all the key defenders they have to throw at the Cavs’ shooters. Lebron is going to get his, you’ve got to shut down Love, Korver and Hood.

[Domenico]

Oh ya. I remember. When the celtics almost came back from down 20 without Hayward with Tatum playing his first game ever and brown still not 20?

That was after witnessing a mans leg fall off his body.

Cavs prolly win cause nba will give lebron the calls but all things equal this would be a celtics sweep. Hayward and Irving would change everything here.

LOL@ the thinking lebron gets calls like that.

Bron gonna goto lim 10 times a game and have about 6 travels not called. Simple.

IF his shot is falling then Cavs win going away but lebron cant shoot for **** for someone considered a all time great.

Like Giannis or Simmons? Been there, done that.

[UNCBlue012]

Cavs in 5.
Everyone talks about DDR and Lowry folding against Lebron in the playoffs. How about Horford? He's been killing it this season but then crawls under the table when he sees Lebron.

It’a less about Lebron and more about matching up with Thompson, who has had his number for what seems like 5837373 years. I think it’ll that the Celtics have extra bodies to throw at them, and this is the series where Monroe’s skill set could come up big.

[Naero]

Kyrie Irving, who played superbly for the Cavaliers in last year's series and was expected to bolster up their opponents for this year's predictable rematch, will be sorely missed for both teams. The injury-ravaged Celtics managed to overachieve in this postseason so far, but now they're facing the seemingly unachievable against LeBron's Cavaliers.

Still, despite the sidelinings of their two-best players, the Celtics have improved overall within the past year as their young talent continues to ripen; contrariwise, the Cavaliers have regressed, even if it has been enough to maintain their Eastern Conference hegemony so far—and possibly extend it by the end of this series. It likely will not move the needle from getting gentleman-swept by the Cavaliers to scotching their Eastern Conference dynasty, but it should be enough to make this series more than a desiccated formality.

The Celtics obviously have an immense coaching advantage here in Brad Stevens, but it will most likely fail to outstretch Cleveland's superstar advantage: LeBron is encoring an all-time-great playoffs run that came at the expense of the Celtics last year, and the latter's best players of their own run this year—most of whom are still on their rookie contracts—just aren't ready to play anywhere near that level yet.

The Celtics' defense, which has been much more monolithic than it was in last year's series, easily outstrips the Cavaliers', but it's negatable enough with the latter's front-court advantage; Kevin Love is bound to flourish for yet another series, and their entire front-court is primed for another stranglehold on the glass.

The Celtics can still keep it within striking distance in the worst-case scenario if they decelerate the pace this series, and they can even get the upper-hand for much of the series in the best-case scenario as we saw the Pacers do by employing a similar strategy. It takes a good deal of luck for the more talentless team to win, and the best way to potentiate luck is by slowing down the pace; otherwise, the more possessions there are in the game, the more auspicious it is for the more talented team, the Cavaliers, will maximize their potential.

I'm expecting the Celtics to keep it tantalizingly competitive for much of this series, but LeBron will ensure that his team prevails once again.

Bottom-line prediction: Cavaliers in 6.

[hype_2004]

Brad Stevens can coach his heart out as brilliant as he is, he's by means no match to Lebron, the NBA and the Refs. This guy will lose his mind in this series, I see technicals and possible ejection when it's all said and done, LMFAO!

[Revived]

Cavs in 5....people are crazy if they think LeBron is losing to Jaylen Brown & Jason Tatum right now.

It may be crazy to think he loses to Brown and Tatum but not so crazy to think he loses to Stevens.

[DTP]

Cavs in 5....people are crazy if they think LeBron is losing to Jaylen Brown & Jason Tatum right now.

It may be crazy to think he loses to Brown and Tatum but not so crazy to think he loses to Stevens.

Coaches don't play the game man....Stevens is good but not that good. Are we forgetting they almost got swept by the Bulls last year? Are we forgetting the Cavs dominated the Celtics just a year ago? This is the GOAT we're talking about peeps.

[Revived]

Cavs in 5....people are crazy if they think LeBron is losing to Jaylen Brown & Jason Tatum right now.

It may be crazy to think he loses to Brown and Tatum but not so crazy to think he loses to Stevens.

Coaches don't play the game man....Stevens is good but not that good. Are we forgetting they almost got swept by the Bulls last year? Are we forgetting the Cavs dominated the Celtics just a year ago? This is the GOAT we're talking about peeps.

We’ll see. I wouldn’t bet against LeBron but I find it tough to bet against Stevens either.

[bakesale]

Cavs in 5.
Everyone talks about DDR and Lowry folding against Lebron in the playoffs. How about Horford? He's been killing it this season but then crawls under the table when he sees Lebron.

It’a less about Lebron and more about matching up with Thompson, who has had his number for what seems like 5837373 years. I think it’ll that the Celtics have extra bodies to throw at them, and this is the series where Monroe’s skill set could come up big.

So he can dominate Embiid but not Thompson? Really? Damn.

[Pantsman]

Cavs can stop everyone but Tatum. If they can stop him it could be over quick.

[Pantsman]

Cavs in 5.
Everyone talks about DDR and Lowry folding against Lebron in the playoffs. How about Horford? He's been killing it this season but then crawls under the table when he sees Lebron.

It’a less about Lebron and more about matching up with Thompson, who has had his number for what seems like 5837373 years. I think it’ll that the Celtics have extra bodies to throw at them, and this is the series where Monroe’s skill set could come up big.

So he can dominate Embiid but not Thompson? Really? Damn.

Because TT out runs and out hustles him. Happens every damn time. Guys like embiid are too concerned about getting theirs.

[bakesale]

It’a less about Lebron and more about matching up with Thompson, who has had his number for what seems like 5837373 years. I think it’ll that the Celtics have extra bodies to throw at them, and this is the series where Monroe’s skill set could come up big.

So he can dominate Embiid but not Thompson? Really? Damn.

Because TT out runs and out hustles him. Happens every damn time. Guys like embiid are too concerned about getting theirs.

Wow, out hustled by TT. oof! That's a concern.

I don't know if Boston have anyone to guard Lebron?

I really want Boston to win though.

[UNCBlue012]

So he can dominate Embiid but not Thompson? Really? Damn.

Because TT out runs and out hustles him. Happens every damn time. Guys like embiid are too concerned about getting theirs.

Wow, out hustled by TT. oof! That's a concern.

I don't know if Boston have anyone to guard Lebron?

I really want Boston to win though.

Yeah, it's annoying as hell. There's absolutely NO reason for him to be outplayed by freaking Thompson. lol

I do think Lebron will see a heavy dose of several guys, but Brown and Semi could be used the most.

[Roland2000]

Brown or Tatum has to step up, challenge LeBron, and make a name for himself. They have to attack him on offense so that he expends max energy.

Recipe for success: Bron gets tired. Nobody else is stepping up for the Cavs. Bron becomes frustrated and checks out mentally......Well, I can dream anyway.....Celtics in 6!

[Higgs Boston]

You have to take into account that horford had no help in the paint during these years against cavs, horford teams were undersized and/or had bad perimeter defenders and that killed him regardless of thompson defending him well..

[JoeBarryCaroll]

Boston is going down like a hooker in Vegas (so I'm told)

Cleveland in 5