The only EC team that could take the Cavs to 7 games is...

[Arizona_Sting]

A HEALTHY Boston Celtics.


Charlotte, Atlanta, Toronto all good teams but only see them taking a game or two in a 7 games series.


A healthy Boston team will be deadly once they get their chemistry together and they ALL play together.

It's easy to look at them and say "oh, they're 5-4, meh", but this team had Smart, Horford, Crowder and Olynyk all miss multiple games this year so far so they are not close to a finished product.

The Thomas-Bradley backcourt has been lights out, Crowder is a solid role player that does the dirty work, Smart off the bench is a bruiser, Amir Johnson and Kelly Olynyk will be a nice backdrop to Horford once he returns. Jaylen Brown is the wild card, could be a nice bench piece this yr.

They may not have enough fire power to beat the Cavs, but I think they are the only team that could force a game 7 if they have their entire team. Brad Stevens is a hell of a coach.

Avery Bradley might be having the best season that no one is talking about so far. 18.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.0APG, 1.2 SPG, with over 2 threes and a 47% FG.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

A HEALTHY Boston Celtics.


Charlotte, Atlanta, Toronto all good teams but only see them taking a game or two in a 7 games series.


A healthy Boston team will be deadly once they get their chemistry together and they ALL play together.

It's easy to look at them and say "oh, they're 5-4, meh", but this team had Smart, Horford, Crowder and Olynyk all miss multiple games this year so far so they are not close to a finished product.

The Thomas-Bradley backcourt has been lights out, Crowder is a solid role player that does the dirty work, Smart off the bench is a bruiser, Amir Johnson and Kelly Olynyk will be a nice backdrop to Horford once he returns. Jaylen Brown is the wild card, could be a nice bench piece this yr.

They may not have enough fire power to beat the Cavs, but I think they are the only team that could force a game 7 if they have their entire team. Brad Stevens is a hell of a coach.

Avery Bradley might be having the best season that no one is talking about so far. 18.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.0APG, 1.2 SPG, with over 2 threes and a 47% FG.

Rim protection could be an issue though facing a LeBron James team.

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Rim protection could be an issue though facing a LeBron James team.

See GS over Bogut went down...

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Rim protection could be an issue though facing a LeBron James team.

True, Boston is a scrappy defensive team though and the type that could try to get in LBj's head over the course of the series. Ultimately I think they coast to the finals if healthy but I think Boston will be the clear 2nd best when it's all said and done.

 

[tlance]

I think they match up a lot better with GS than they do with Cleveland.

 

[WiggyRuss]

True, Boston is a scrappy defensive team though and the type that could try to get in LBj's head over the course of the series. Ultimately I think they coast to the finals if healthy but I think Boston will be the clear 2nd best when it's all said and done.

boston has a ton of assets to make another move as well--

if they dont make another move- i cant see them really pushing the Cavs...the Cavs would likely have the 3 best players in the series.

 

[bksballer89]

I still look at Boston as a regular season team until they prove otherwise. They really disappointed me last year

 

[WiggyRuss]

I still look at Boston as a regular season team until they prove otherwise. They really disappointed me last year

i agree

who is their best player?

Isiah Thomas?

their 2nd best?-

Al horford prob.

3rd?

Crowder? or Bradley....

that just doesnt match up well at all against LeBron, Kyrie, Love----- i mean- as i said- Cavs prob have the 3 best players in that series---- then you look at the rest- TT, Jr, Shump, Frye, Dunleavy...

Celtics need to make a big trade and bring in an elite player if they want to become something the Cavs really and truly worrya bout- they do have the assets to pullth at off though.

 

[Mecca]

boston has a ton of assets to make another move as well--

if they dont make another move- i cant see them really pushing the Cavs...the Cavs would likely have the 3 best players in the series.

Assets, yes.

But, unless they plan to include Crowder, nobody is buying what Danny is selling.

He overvalued those picks and ended up pissing in the wind.

* see cutting his 2015 first round draft pick.

Nobody is beating the Cavs in the East, sans father time or the injury bug......

 

[Mecca]

I still look at Boston as a regular season team until they prove otherwise. They really disappointed me last year

They are really good. But, not elite.

#ClippersEast

 

[Mecca]

i agree

who is their best player?

Isiah Thomas?

their 2nd best?-

Al horford prob.

3rd?

Crowder? or Bradley....

that just doesnt match up well at all against LeBron, Kyrie, Love----- i mean- as i said- Cavs prob have the 3 best players in that series---- then you look at the rest- TT, Jr, Shump, Frye, Dunleavy...

Celtics need to make a big trade and bring in an elite player if they want to become something the Cavs really and truly worrya bout- they do have the assets to pullth at off though.

Like who?

Doc would not trade Blake for anything on that roster.

Cousins?.....they would have to pay a Kings ransom and Danny thinks he's Jerry West. So, he'd think Kelly Olynk and a 2nd rounder would be enough.

Hayward? Is he a better fit than Crowder?

They need a 4.

Maybe try to pry Ibaka loose?

Still wouldn't beat the Cavs.

 

[Heatles84]

i agree

who is their best player?

Isiah Thomas?

their 2nd best?-

Al horford prob.

3rd?

Crowder? or Bradley....

that just doesnt match up well at all against LeBron, Kyrie, Love----- i mean- as i said- Cavs prob have the 3 best players in that series---- then you look at the rest- TT, Jr, Shump, Frye, Dunleavy...

Celtics need to make a big trade and bring in an elite player if they want to become something the Cavs really and truly worrya bout- they do have the assets to pullth at off though.

I agree. Boston's got great coaching in Brad Stevens, but that roster doesn't have a legit every year all-star like the Cavs. Lue could be the biggest corch in the NBA, but he'll win a series with Boston simply because of the overwhelming talent advantage that Cleveland has.

 

[bksballer89]

I agree. Boston's got great coaching in Brad Stevens, but that roster doesn't have a legit every year all-star like the Cavs. Lue could be the biggest corch in the NBA, but he'll win a series with Boston simply because of the overwhelming talent advantage that Cleveland has.

Don't you hate it when you're forced to agree with Wiggy. I just want to vomit when that happens.

 

[Mecca]

This would be filthy and would put the Celtics into elite territory.

But, never gonna happen without gutting their Team.

But I’m told the Celtics at this point are only interested in potential “game changers” on the trade market. One name to keep an eye on is New Orleans’ Anthony Davis. The only way Davis will come into play is if Davis wants out, something that isn’t that far-fetched when you consider the steady run of injuries he’s enduring on a team that’s going nowhere fast. The Celtics have draft picks galore, young talent with very team-friendly contracts and being in the East, that would mean the Pelicans would only see Davis twice a season.

– via CSNNE.com

 

[Shanemansj13]

Hawks are looking good. Still skeptical on the Bobcats.

Raptors, Bulls and Celtics are still dangerous teams. There are 4 legit teams that can compete with the Cavs

 

[Shanemansj13]

This would be filthy and would put the Celtics into elite territory.

But, never gonna happen without gutting their Team.

But I’m told the Celtics at this point are only interested in potential “game changers” on the trade market. One name to keep an eye on is New Orleans’ Anthony Davis. The only way Davis will come into play is if Davis wants out, something that isn’t that far-fetched when you consider the steady run of injuries he’s enduring on a team that’s going nowhere fast. The Celtics have draft picks galore, young talent with very team-friendly contracts and being in the East, that would mean the Pelicans would only see Davis twice a season.

– via CSNNE.com

Fuck that! They would have to give up A LOT to get him. I wouldn't trade AD unless they offered 2 legit All-Stars, 2 1st rounders and possibly another player.

 

[tducey]

Davis to boston would be huge. Got to think he's going to want out soon given how terrible the Pelicans are.

 

[Heatles84]

Don't you hate it when you're forced to agree with Wiggy. I just want to vomit when that happens.

I've been to Tijuana multiple times. I've seen many more disgusting things......okay, maybe not *many*. But I see what you're getting at.

 

[Heatles84]

Fuck that! They would have to give up A LOT to get him. I wouldn't trade AD unless they offered 2 legit All-Stars, 2 1st rounders and possibly another player.

Agree here. What are you going to get for AD if you trade him to Boston? Because you're not going to get Thomas or Horford. You're just going to get a lot of average players. With Gentry's coaching, you're still going to be stuck between mediocrity and being flat out bad.

 

[Heatles84]

Still amazing that the Pelicans fired Monty Williams and followed up with hiring Alvin Gentry. Looks like the issue was the GM, not the original coach (Williams).