LeBron James and the Cavaliers have dominated the Eastern Conference playoffs for three consecutive seasons, advancing to the NBA Finals with ease each year. King James himself has represented the East for the past seven seasons in the the league championship.
Last season, however, the Celtics finished with the best record in the conference and have enjoyed a productive offseason. Boston landed prized free agent Gordon Hayward and drafted Jayson Tatum. In addition, Danny Ainge traded for Marcus Morris and signed Aron Baynes. While Boston did trade key two-way player, Avery Bradley, and lost Kelly Olynyk in free agency, the team may be prepared to contend for its first NBA Finals berth since 2010.
For Cleveland’s part, it re-signed Kyle Korver this offseason, inked veteran Jose Calderon to a one-year contract backing up Kyrie Irving at point guard, and brought in another vet in forward Jeff Green. Over their past three Eastern Conference Finals series, the Cavaliers have won 12 of 15 games.
Will the Cavs’ recent playoff domination continue or have the Celtics suddenly emerged as the favorite to represent the East in the Finals? Which team will finish with the better record this season and what, if anything, will home-court advantage mean if the teams face off in the postseason?
We look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments section.
It all really depends on how good LeBron is next year. Team didn’t really improve this off season. I can’t say that Jose Calderon and Jeff Green are much improvements, maybe Green can play a role. They will have to rely on Kyrie taking another jump, Love finding some sort of rhythm and consistency (if he isn’t traded), LeBron keeping up his high level of play, and some sort of production outside the big 3. Boston imo is the favorites. So many weapons and they just were a 1 seed last year. They had a great off season and look like perennial contenders.
No one should expect him to fall in production. He’s only gotten better as he ages. On top of that love has started to find his role with the Cavs and Irving has grown in to a leader next to Lebron. The only team who has a chance against the Celtics, and even though they are stacked with talent, they don’t really fit together, and 5’9 guard is not who you want to be the best player on your team. So the cavs are going to most likely in my opinion face the warriors again.
The Boston Celtics will end LeBron’s Finals streak this year. Boston took much larger strides this offseason than Cleveland did, possibly eliminating that skill difference. Cleveland had little to no cap room to work with, so Boston was finally able to gain on them. Gordon Hayward finally gives Boston another scorer besides IT4, taking off the strain from Isaiah’s workload. Even though they lost their top defender in Bradley, the combination of Smart and Crowder, along with others, can hold Kyrie and LeBron back. Kevin Love was a problem last year, but now with Morris available to guard him, he becomes less likely to breakout and score thirty. Lastly, Boston’s bench is easily better than Cleveland’s. The Cavs have lots of veterans just looking for a ring, but the C’s have not only two young forwards (Brown, Tatum), that should have a lot of impact this year, but also Smart, Rozier, Yabusele, Zizic, etc., that should allow them to compete now and five, six years down the road. The Celtics are a deep team, and I think they could defeat the Cavs in six or seven games in the ECF.
Hahaha I’ll be remembering this
I’m a Green Blood but unless a magic fairies sprinkles some pixie dust around to age 3-4 years onto LeBron and 2-3 years to the 7-11 (Brown-Tatum) the C’s will be entertaining but not championship contenders until the Roaring 20s, and that may still hinge on Danny’s ability to get lucky with the Nets & Lakers (cross fingers, rub lucky leprechauns belly) lottery picks to grab some SIZE at the top of the 2018 draft …
Also, as a hot take: Milwaukee defeats Cleveland in the second round. You heard it here first
Is Lebron James still on the Cavs?
Yes
Yeah I’ll take the Cavs
Lol too true
this made my day
Cleveland because the Celtics lost Bradley and didn’t trade for a PF or Center
They did they traded Bradley for Morris and signed Baynes lol. Morris is a starting caliber PF. Not a star but a legit starter. And Baynes is a big rim protecting rebounder as I understand it. So you can pick CLE if you wish but not for those reasons.
Love has tossed Morris around like a Rag doll the last three seasons.
Conor’s, always a fan of your posts but Baynes is a 30 year older who averaged under 15 minutes a game in Detroit so I don’t see him pulling down even like Amir’s numbers … I think this off season really solidified the fact the Horford is going to have no choice but to play the 5, which he doesn’t like but I don’t see many options…. although with the way Stevens will be juggling line ups with his half dozen 6’7 – 6’8 guys, and the chance (umm big long shot chance for this year at least) that Zizic can adapt his euro game, at age 20, to bang with the big boys in the NBA maybe Barnes helps keep Al at his preferred 4 spot… we are definitely gonna see some wacky rotations and can’t wait to see a fivesome of Smart (6’6) at pg, with some combo of Hayward, Crowder, Brown and Morris/Tatum (all at 6’7-6’8) running wild out there for a few mi utes a game when IT takes a breather…. outta be a fun year
Yeah not saying Baynes is a star but if he gives 20 minutes a night and plays good defense, grabs 6 rebounds, and scores a few buckets, he’s doing his job. They don’t need a big who can average 25 and 10. I mean, of course that’s nice and what everyone wants, but Baynes fills their need at that position, and I could see another vet for the minimum signed as well. I still like Cleveland but the bigs aren’t as much of an issue as it is being made out to be. I’d say they’re better than last year’s group of bigs, and that improvement along with adding Hayward, albeit losing Bradley, makes the games at least a little more contentious and a 6 or 7 game series isn’t out of the question.
Get out the tape measure I doubt Smart is 6’6
Not unless the Cavs encounter something they haven’t seen before. At incredibly long odds maybe a young and energetic 76ers team shock them in the first round. Beyond getting totally blindsided in that way or maybe LeBron carrying an injury it’s a question of who they meet in the finals.
my easy predictions
1. Boston
2. Toronto
3. Cleveland (LeBron does not care about the regular season)
4. Washington
5. Milwaukee
6. Philidelphia
7. Detroit
8. Miami
Boston loses in the second round and Cleveland goes to the finals yet again
I could see the Hornets up there too but otherwise this is pretty solid
I feel like Charlotte could be good, but they have a frail bench, and any injuries would be a killer, say if Nic Batum tears his ACL, or Dwight Howard breaks his hand
The bench isn’t any weaker than any of the other teams. Most likely it’ll be Monk, MCW, Zeller, Lamb, Kaminsky, etc. off the bench. You can’t tell me that anyone else is bringing anyone that much better off the bench.
Also any team could get injuries. Batum has the same chance of tearing his ACL as LeBron or Hayward or anyone else. Same goes with Dwight breaking his hand
Agreed. The only team with better depth (and by extension a better bench) would be Boston, but they still could use another big or two. All the other teams’ benches are about the same. Charlotte doesn’t have the flashy names, but I’d probably take their bench over Philly’s and Toronto’s.
Two years ago when Charlotte in the playoffs Kandinsky exploded for like 20+ off the bench. They have guys that can get hot and score in bunches throughout the rotation
oh shoot I forgotten t about kaminsky and Zeller and monk
Never seen so many comments about the Hornets lol
Assuming LeBron is healthy and playing close to his normal standard of play, the Cavs are the favorite. The past 7 years prove that the Eastern Conference is still LeBron’s conference. Boston finishing as the 1 seed last year proves nothing (its not like Miami/Cleveland finished #1 every season for the past 7 seasons).
Lebron alone will beat the Celtics. But then they’ll get smoked again by GS. Then Lebron will leave and will fail to make the finals for the first time in about 50 years it seems like. If he leaves to go West, he won’t bear GS. If he stays in East, his new team won’t beat BOS. So then GS will beat up on BOS.
Celtics are much improved, Cavs are a year older.
I don’t think anyone challenges the Cavs in the east again this year, unless a Brown and Tatum make huge strides for the Celtics. They have absolutely no inside presence or rebounding. If anything they are just a worse version of the Cavs in most positions
Morris. Baynes. Potentially Zizic but he seems like he needs another year. They have legit big guys now. I could see another move if a guy like Dedmon sees his price drop.
Well not now since Dedmon signed elsewhere but there are other guys available.
Don’t forget James Jones. He played in the last 7 NBA finals as well.
If James breaks a leg, Kyrie is shot, KLove joins a traveling circus (but can’t play in the cincy area cause that circus Love joins beats on their animals), JR uses a hovercraft and ends up in a horrible crash and has to play Boston in a hover round and TT decides to join those ugly women on tv and quit basketball. Then Boston has a chance.
cavs still getting melo
As long as LeBron is playing for the Cavs, they’re always going to be the favorite in the East. There’s a good chance they won’t beat the Warriors, but it should be a yearly expectation that they at least make it out of the East. Next question.
I do wish the best for the Celtic faithful. I really do. But if Hayward is such a great talent, how come Houston passed, OKC passed, warriors passed, etc. etc. Hes like the 15 th good player picked in FA. he’s a fine talent that would look good coming off the bench for the cavs or warriors. Bradley was your best player in the playoffs and Ainge dumped him for Morris. Freaking “who the heck would trade Bradley for ” Morris. IT can’t guard Kyrie. When he went down for the count. That’s when bean town won a game.
Celtics got weaker in the sort run. Long run. They got stronger if all those young people do well. Tatum has looked good in summer league. Woohoo.
Celtic fans above all else Know the regular season doesn’t matter. Getting to the NBA finals does where you have a chance at a title.
Have another drink buddy!
Go home Pihc123 you are drunk
Lol
The Cleveland Cavaliers will win the Eastern conference in 2018-19 and 20. and then they will disappear like quicksand. Boston Celtics will take control from 2021 to 2026. The dark horses will appear late in 2018 for the Cav. (D.Wade, C.Bosh,etc. What really hurt the CAVs 2017 the lack of A deep bench, quality rest for LeBron James and Kyrie Irving! When you start seeing the cavaliers winning without LeBron like the Golden State Warriors can win without Kevin Durant . Kevin Durant was missing for 6 to 8 weeks before the playoffs I don’t expect that to happen again! Cleveland need a rim protector! Edy Tarvares might be the answer! Watching the summer league the Cavs may have found a fast and strong shooting guard! Always remember time and unforeseen occurrences befall every quality team
Lebron is getting ollllddddeeeerrr!
As a Celtics fan, the closed the gap a little bit but as long as Lebron is on the cabs playing at the level he has been playing at, the cavs wins. I’d say cavs win in 6. They should have swept Boston last year
Wizards will be a 3 seed but go to the finals.