The Boston Celtics hardly had any difficulties in last year’s championship run, losing only three games in the playoffs. No team was close to their level of dominance, especially in the Eastern Conference, as the Celtics won a league-high 64 games last season.
There was little doubt that the Celtics would make the NBA Finals, and they were lucky that some key players missed time during their championship run. Jimmy Butler missed the first-round series versus the Celtics, while Donovan Mitchell missed two games in the second round.
While the Celtics are the co-favorites (tied with OKC at +185) on FanDuel Sportsbook to win the NBA championship, they will have a tougher task getting to the finals this year than last year. The Celtics won’t have home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference this time around, as the Cleveland Cavaliers have dominated the regular season, posting a 55-10 record so far.
With their performance this season, led by Mitchell and Darius Garland, the Cavaliers are the biggest threat to the Celtics’ championship aspirations.
The Celtics' Biggest Threat is the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers have been the surprise of the NBA this season, thanks to hiring Kenny Atkinson as head coach. Atkinson elevated the Cavaliers from the jump, starting the season 15-0 and leading the league in wins with 55.
The Boston Celtics hardly had any difficulties in last year’s championship run, losing only three games in the playoffs. No team was close to their level of dominance, especially in the Eastern Conference, as the Celtics won a league-high 64 games last season.
There was little doubt that the Celtics would make the NBA Finals, and they were lucky that some key players missed time during their championship run. Jimmy Butler missed the first-round series versus the Celtics, while Donovan Mitchell missed two games in the second round.
While the Celtics are the co-favorites (tied with OKC at +185) on FanDuel Sportsbook to win the NBA championship, they will have a tougher task getting to the finals this year than last year. The Celtics won’t have home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference this time around, as the Cleveland Cavaliers have dominated the regular season, posting a 55-10 record so far.
With their performance this season, led by Mitchell and Darius Garland, the Cavaliers are the biggest threat to the Celtics’ championship aspirations.
The Celtics' Biggest Threat is the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers have been the surprise of the NBA this season, thanks to hiring Kenny Atkinson as head coach. Atkinson elevated the Cavaliers from the jump, starting the season 15-0 and leading the league in wins with 55.
One of the reasons they’ve been able to excel is that they’ve been playing at a faster pace since Atkinson took over. Last year, the Cavaliers were 24th in pace (97.6) compared to tenth this year (100.4).
While it may not seem like much, it’s had a big effect on their offense since they’ve been taking more shots. This year, they lead the league in points per game (122.7), compared to being 21st last year (112.6), second in field goal percentage (49.4%), first in three-point percentage (39%), and first in offensive rating (121.8)
This year’s Cavaliers are a much-improved team compared to the team the Celtics played in the playoffs last year and will easily be the toughest team the Celtics play in the playoffs if both teams advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
There are a number of reasons that make Cleveland a threat to dethrone Boston, but the biggest one is the depth that the Cavaliers have. The Cavaliers have a number of contributors on their bench, such as Ty Jerome, Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, and Sam Merrill, but the biggest contributor of them all is De’Andre Hunter, who’s been on a scoring surge since being traded to the Cavaliers.
Their depth on the wing is intimidating, as they have players that can hit threes and play solid defense. The Cavaliers have been able to get consistent production from their bench, while the Celtics' bench has been inconsistent in providing scoring when the starters are having an off night.
Another reason that makes the Cavaliers a threat is that Garland and Evan Mobley have been healthy all season. Last year, both players dealt with injuries, and when they came back, it was too late to make a run.
Garland and Mobley have both taken leaps in their overall game, with Mobley becoming a candidate to win Defensive Player of the Year and Garland shooting a career-high 41.1% from three.
In a potential series between the two, one of the deciding factors will be the performance of their third-best player. Mobley showed in the last matchup against the Celtics just how vital he is, leading the team to a comeback victory against the Celtics by putting up 17 points and 12 rebounds.
If the Celtics are going to win a potential Eastern Conference Finals matchup versus the Cavaliers, they will need Kristaps Porzingis back and healthy to overcome the Cavaliers' depth and offensive firepower.
