Boston Celtics: Complete Eastern Conference Preview

Mathis Bauchner

Banner 18 is coming. Maybe not this season, but there’s no denying the Boston Celtics are rising in the Eastern Conference, and a lot faster than most people predicted. They didn’t reel in a superstar this offseason, but did acquire proven veteran forwards David Lee and Amir Johnson, and will enjoy the services of sixth man extraordinaire Isaiah Thomas for a full 82 games.

They have young players poised to make a leap and the word everyone keeps throwing around, not without good reason, is depth. Coach Brad Stevens will play ten guys, maybe more, on a nightly basis. Establishing a rotation could prove to be a tricky process, but having multiple options at every position isn’t a bad problem to have. There are no guarantees in the NBA, but the Celtics improving on their 40-42 record from a year ago seems like an excellent bet.

How high can they climb? Well, with the majority of the league’s juggernauts roaming the West, the route to the top certainly isn’t as foreboding. Let’s go ahead and break down the entire Eastern Conference, from the teams in lottery limbo to the crème de la crème, and see where to expect the Celtics ending up come playoff time.

Next: The Bottom Dwellers

Jan 28, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) winces as he bends his knees while setting up for a foul shot against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks defeated the Thunder 100-92. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

New York Knicks

Yes, they have Carmelo Anthony and the bejeweled Phil Jackson pulling the strings, but this team is going nowhere fast. They flamed out in the draft lottery and ended up with the 4th pick, selecting a 19-year-old (since turned 20) named Kristaps Porzingis from Latvia. He may turn out to be a fine player, but he’s struggling with injuries already and doesn’t seem like the obvious choice to lead the Knicks out of the basement.

After sitting out much of last year with a knee injury, Carmelo should be piling up the points as usual, but it won’t be nearly enough. This team’s other offensive options are scarce and New York will struggle to put the ball in the basket, as they did a season ago when they finished dead last in the league in scoring. 17 wins isn’t exactly a lofty benchmark, but it’s hard to see this team improving much with others in the conference taking obvious steps in the right direction.

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And just in case you’re into tabloid fodder, Knicks second-year head coach Derek Fisher is apparently embroiled in a domestic dispute with current NBA player Matt Barnes. According to multiple sources, Fisher has been seeing Barnes’ estranged wife Gloria Govan and when Barnes found out Fisher was at the home he and Govan used to share he hopped in his car and drove 95 miles to confront his ex-teammate. Ian Mohr of the New York Post wrote, “A fight erupted at 11:45 p.m. between the 235-pound Barnes and the 6-1, 200-pound Fisher. Cops were called, but Fisher left before they arrived, the sources said.”

Well then, not sure what kind of effect this will have on the Knicks’ season, but it definitely can’t be a good thing. Fisher enjoyed tremendous success as a player, but he still has a long way to go as a coach. Romancing the wife of another member of the NBA brotherhood is a big no-no. Fisher needs the trust and support of his players for New York to have any chance of improving this season, and this incident certainly didn’t help.

Philadelphia 76ers

One team the Knicks may have a shot at surpassing are the Sixers, who finished just ahead of them last year with 18 wins. They received some bad news this offseason when center Joel Embiid, the 3rd pick in the 2014 draft, suffered a setback in his recovery from a broken right foot and will likely miss his second full season. The Sixers also had the 3rd pick this year and they selected another big man, Duke’s Jahlil Okafor. He will share the frontcourt with Nerlens Noel, the 6’11” forward Philadelphia took 6th in 2013.

Two lottery picks trying to prove themselves in the same painted area doesn’t seem like a recipe for success. Then there’s the matter of who’s going to get them the ball. The Sixers dealt point guard Michael Carter-Williams to the Bucks last year and have yet to establish his replacement. General manager Sam Hinkie insists he has a plan, part of which includes stockpiling a plethora of draft picks. Obviously, this plan has yet to result in success on the floor. Philadelphia is 37-127 the past two seasons and have a roster entirely devoid of proven commodities.

Maybe Okafor will end up being great. Maybe he and Noel can coexist in the same lineup. And maybe Joel Embiid will come back and contribute. But all these maybes are no doubt driving the fans in Philadelphia to their breaking point. It’s tough to support a team that seems okay with being an NBA embarrassment if it means a better shot at the next superstar. And here we go again with the maybes. At some point Hinkie needs to bring in some veterans who know what they’re doing, or all these young guys will have no one to learn from. For now, it looks to be a very long year once again for the Sixers, with growing pains all around. Okafor, who enjoyed an NCAA championship in his only season at Duke, will have some adjusting to do.

Next: Not There Yet

Mar 27, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson (1) shoots over Orlando Magic guard Elfrid Payton (4) during the second half at Amway Center. Detroit Pistons defeated the Orlando Magic 111-97. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Orlando Magic

The Magic finished 25-57 last year, but head into this season with a new head coach, former Magic player Scott Skiles, and yet another lottery pick, Croatia’s Mario Hezonja (the 5th pick in 2015). The team’s last couple selections have fared well so far in their NBA careers. Victor Oladipo (the 2nd overall pick in 2013) increased his scoring to 18.1 points per game in his second season, and averaged over 4 rebounds and 4 assists as well. Elfrid Payton (the 10th pick last year) finished 4th in Rookie of the Year voting and led the team with 6.5 assists per game in his first season. Orlando also had the 4th pick in the 2014 draft and took Aaron Gordon. He missed a lot of his rookie campaign with injuries, but is set to return this year.

Clearly this team has potential, and Skiles is a hard-nosed coach who will push them. If all these lottery picks pan out Orlando could have a very strong roster 3-4 years down the line. I don’t see a huge jump this season, however. Having Gordon at full strength will help, but he’s still just 20 and Hezonja is only 20 as well. They’ll be fun to watch, with Payton zinging the ball over over the court and borderline All-Star Nikola Vučević racking up the double-doubles, but topping 30 wins will be a struggle.

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have more proven players than the Magic do, but I don’t see them faring much better. They lost big man Greg Monroe to the Bucks in free agency and will turn the paint completely over to Andre Drummond. The 22-year-old averaged 13.8 points and 13.5 rebounds last season while starting all 82 games. Those numbers should increase with Monroe (and his 18 points and 12 boards a game) now in Milwaukee.

Point guard Reggie Jackson came over from the Thunder late last season and averaged 17.6 points and 9.2 assists in 27 games with Detroit. He and Brandon Jennings could prove to be a potent combination in the backcourt once the latter returns to the lineup. He’s currently recovering from a torn Achilles and is projected to be back to live game action around Christmas.

Coach Stan Van Gundy had some very successful years in Orlando with Dwight Howard as his anchor. He will look to Drummond to play a similar role, dominating the paint on the defensive end while also being a consistent offensive threat. It’s a lot to ask of a player still so young, but the Pistons have clearly gone all in on Drummond by letting Monroe leave. We’ll find out this year if they made the right call. Detroit finished 32-50 last season and could see that win total increase by a few. Having Jennings out for at least the first two months of the season really hurts though. Jackson handled his starting duties well in his time with the team last year, but his ability to lead Detroit for a full season is another question to be answered.

Next: Stuck In No Man's Land

Oct 18, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) and Philadelphia 76ers small forward Robert Covington (33) defend against Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets managed to make the playoffs last season with a 38-44 record. That’s not likely to happen again with other teams in the East leaping forward and the Nets doing nothing to improve. After taking on Joe Johnson‘s gigantic contract and trading away a boatload of assets to acquire Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, they have little to show for their first three seasons in New York’s trendiest borough. The Celtics own Brooklyn’s first round picks in 2016 and 2018 and the Nets have very little flexibility in terms of movable players or money to spend.

They parted ways with disappointing point guard Deron Williams during the offseason, opting to buyout the former All-Star’s contract and pay him $27.5 million to not play for them rather than the $43 million he was owed over the next two seasons. Some of that money “saved” went to signing Brook Lopez to a three-year, $60 million contract and Thaddeus Young to a four-year, $50 million deal. Both are solid players, but not franchise cornerstones. Still, they will form the Nets’ nucleus moving forward alongside Johnson, who’s been a rock solid pro for over a decade, but has never had much success in the playoffs.

Brooklyn bet the future for a win-now approach a few years back and they’ll pay for it this season. They have a roster that’s competitive enough to keep them out of the conference’s basement, but nowhere near capable of competing in the playoffs. It’s a classic NBA No Man’s Land scenario. To make matters worse, the Nets don’t even own their first round pick should they manage to bottom out this season. They appear destined to limp their way to about 30 wins and hand over a low lottery pick to the Celtics next June.

Charlotte Hornets

Another team toiling in mediocrity, the Hornets were dealt a tough blow earlier this month when Michael Kidd-Gilchrist tore his labrum and dislocated his shoulder in a preseason game, leading to a surgery that will likely sideline him for the year. This team does have some other interesting pieces. The versatile Nicolas Batum came over from Portland in an offseason trade and Jeremy Lin signed a modest deal to join Kemba Walker in the backcourt. Workhorse Al Jefferson remains in place to man the paint for Charlotte, but given who’s ahead of them in the East I don’t see this group cracking the top eight.

The Hornets went from 43 wins in 2013-14 to 33 last season. Owner Michael Jordan has said, “I’m always dreaming about that seventh ring,” but he and his home-state team still have a ways to go. Part of the Hornets’ problem has been their inability to cash in on numerous high draft picks over the past decade. Back in 2006, the first year Jordan was associated with the team, Charlotte selected college superstar Adam Morrison out of Gonzaga with the 3rd pick. He averaged 11.8 points his rookie year, but tore his ACL and missed his entire sophomore season. He would play just 44 more games with the team before being dealt to the Lakers and hasn’t played in the league since 2010. Charlotte made a poor call the year after selecting Morrison as well, taking Brandan Wright 8th in 2007, just ahead of Joakim Noah.

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They missed out on Anthony Davis by one spot in 2012 and took Kidd-Gilchrist with the 2nd pick, then grabbed seven-footer Cody Zeller with the 4th pick the next year, but the former All-American has yet to make much noise in the league. Jordan gambled on another celebrated collegiate big man this year, selecting Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky with the 9th pick. He’s the rare NBA rookie who actually played four years in college, which may help him in his transition to the pros.

Jordan desperately needs a home run draft pick. He hasn’t had one in his tenure, but Kaminsky could be the guy. Scouts were skeptical about his athleticism heading into the draft, still the 2015 National Player of the Year does a lot of things really well that are hard to measure simply by the numbers. He will need to contribute more than anticipated with the absence of Kidd-Gilchrist. As long as the legendarily competitive Jordan is running things, the Hornets will never be a team that packs it in. They’ll play hard every night, but I’m guessing third-year coach Steve Clifford is on a short leash after last season’s ten-win regression. He may be shown the door sooner rather than later if the Hornets get off to a rocky start, and I’m anticipating they will.

Indiana Pacers

I could be wrong here. The Pacers have been one of the league’s scrappiest teams for years and they’re getting their jack-of-all-trades small forward Paul George back at full strength, after the two-time All-Star missed all but six games last year with a broken leg. They also signed Monta Ellis, an explosive scoring guard with a 19.3 points per game career average. Still, I think this team is a long ways off from the 2013-14 Pacers that were the number one seed in the East and took the Miami Heat to six games in the Conference Finals.

That group had a true defensive force in center Roy Hibbert and veteran forward David West, as well as Lance Stephenson, who isn’t looked at all that kindly these days, but played lights out that year. All three have gone their separate ways and coach Frank Vogel must be banking on this year’s Pacers being better than the sum of their parts. Indiana finished 38-44 last season and with George back an improvement might seem like a given, but I believe they’ll struggle inside on both ends without Hibbert and West. Ellis is a guy who needs the ball in his hands a lot to be effective and working him in with incumbent point guard George Hill could be tricky.

For years, .500 ball has meant a playoff spot in the East. Indiana may sneak in at around that mark, but that will still be a frustrating finish for a team that had NBA Finals aspirations just two seasons ago. The Pacers are too good to hit the reset button. They have a player to build around in George if the 25-year-old can continue to improve, as he was so dramatically prior to his injury. With the right moves, Indiana could be in the mix to contend again a year or two from now. This season though, they’ll likely find themselves in the middle of the pack, grinding it out for less wins than they’d like.

Next: On The Up And Up

Mar 28, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks a basket against Golden State Warriors center Festus Ezeli (31) in the second quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks finished just ahead of the Celtics last season with a surprising 41-41 under first-year head coach Jason Kidd. They should improve on that mark this season with the return of Jabari Parker, the 2nd pick in the 2014 draft, who was averaging 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds before missing the last 56 games of his rookie campaign with a torn ACL. Milwaukee also signed center Greg Monroe, whose career average of 10.6 boards a game will no doubt help a team that finished 24th in the league in rebounding last year.

Third-year forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is still only 20, but the 6’11” native of Athens, appropriately dubbed ‘The Greek Freak,’ is poised to continue building towards what many think will eventually be NBA superstardom. He nearly doubled his scoring average to 12.7 points last season and is athletic to the point of it being almost ridiculous. With the Bucks and Celtics finishing so close last season, it’s worth noting Milwaukee took Antetokounmpo with the 15th pick in the 2013 Draft, two spots after the Celtics selected Kelly Olynyk, a fine player, but one whose ceiling is many stories below Antetokounmpo’s. The Bucks also have veterans Jerryd Bayless and O.J. Mayo in the mix, along with former Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams and John Henson, two players with a lot of potential in their own right.

Kidd did some pretty amazing work guiding Milwaukee from 15 wins the year before he arrived to the playoffs, but this team is just getting started. They could find themselves with a pair of All-Stars a couple years down the line in Parker and Antetokounmpo. Monroe is right on the cusp already. This trio has a strong supporting cast in place as well and could end up surprising people even more than they did a season ago.

Miami Heat

You just can’t keep a Pat Riley down. Miami’s Team President has added to his ring collection since joining the organization in 1995 and while this offseason wasn’t quite as big a coup as bringing LeBron James and Chris Bosh‘s talents to South Beach in 2010, Riley did manage to reposition the Heat to compete once again for a spot in the top half of the Eastern Conference playoff bracket.

Sometimes you have to get a little lucky. Miami did when Duke’s Justise Winslow fell to them with the 10th pick in this year’s draft. Some predictions had him going as high as 4th, and the Heat may have found their next great player in their first trip to the lottery since 2008. Riley and company also got point guard Goran Dragic to agree to stick around, re-signing the 2014 All-NBA Third Teamer to a five-year contract.

Heat relic Dwyane Wade opted out of his contract this offseason, terrifying the Miami faithful in the process, but he’ll be back on a one-year, $20 million deal. Bosh is healthy as well, after being sidelined last February with a blood clot in his lung. He’ll be joined in the frontcourt by Hassan Whiteside, who came out of nowhere to average a double-double for the Heat last season in just 23.8 minutes per game. Whiteside had previously played just 19 NBA games, all with the Sacramento Kings, dating back to the 2011-12 season. Since then he spent time in the D-League, China, and Lebanon, before signing with Miami in November of last year.

Whiteside exploded in the second half of the season, putting up huge rebounding numbers. He set a franchise record for blocked shots in a game in January, notching 12, along with 14 points and 13 rebounds in just 25 minutes of play. His workload should increase dramatically this season as he moves into his role as Miami’s full-time center. How exactly did the Heat find this guy after years out of the league? Who knows. Again, sometimes it takes a little luck.

Veteran Luol Deng completes the starting five for the Heat, and it could be a formidable one if all these talented pieces find a way to compliment each other. Wade hasn’t played 70 games in a season since 2010-11, but he did have periods of resurgence last season and finished with an impressive 24.3 points per game average in 62 appearances. The Heat will no doubt be back in the playoffs. How far they go depends on the team developing chemistry in what is really their first year playing together. Whiteside must prove he’s not a half season wonder and Dragic needs to take some of the scoring and ballhandling burden off of Wade. This team certainly wasn’t down for long, and with Riley still making the move upstairs, they’re headed in the right direction once again.

Next: Taking Steps Back

Feb 20, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver (26) is fouled by Toronto Raptors forward James Johnson (3) on his way to the basket during the second half at Philips Arena. The Raptors defeated the Hawks 105-80. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks

It’s hard to imagine the Hawks not enduring at least a minor drop-off in performance, given last year’s squad set a franchise record with 60 wins. 2014-15 included a 19-game winning streak and a 42-9 start. Don’t get me wrong, Atlanta will still be a good team, but replicating last year’s number one seed and Eastern Conference Finals appearance is a tall task, and I don’t see it happening.

The Hawks had four All-Stars last season, tied for the most all-time from a single team, and each one is back, but their fifth starter, DeMarre Carroll, will be lacing it up for the Raptors this season after inking a four-year, $60 million deal. That’s a big loss. The additions of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tiago Splitter will help make up some of the difference. 22-year-old point guard Dennis Schröder should continue to improve and Kent Bazemore has the potential to fill in nicely in Carroll’s absence. Still, the Hawks had something magical about them last season. It ended abruptly when the Cavaliers swept them in the Conference Finals, and I don’t think they’ll get it all the way back this season.

Atlanta should still end up in the East’s top four, but coach Mike Budenholzer’s exceptional system won’t be enough to get them over the hump. This team’s starless approach is admirable, and they’ve had the most success with it since the Detroit Pistons of the mid-2000s, but the lack of a singular go-to scorer down the stretch will make it tough for them to close games when the chips are down. Unfortunately, the Hawks also play in an Eastern Conference that includes LeBron James. As long as the four-time MVP remains at the peak of his powers they won’t be sniffing the Finals.

Toronto Raptors

As mentioned, Toronto managed to snatch DeMarre Carroll away from Atlanta, but they should still fall off a bit from their 49-win total of a year ago. Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams has fled the North for La La Land to suit up with the Lakers, taking his 15.5 points per game with him. All-Star Kyle Lowry will be expected to make up some of the difference, but he finished 7th among qualified point guards in minutes per game last season and might not be able to do much more than he already is.

DeMar DeRozan is a reliable scorer, but doesn’t necessarily bring that much else to the table. Toronto will be lucky to squeeze ten good minutes a game out of former number one pick Anthony Bennett, who has yet to find his footing in the league. Terrence Ross and Patrick Patterson are reliable complimentary players, and veteran Luis Scola adds some depth to the frontcourt. Still, I don’t see the Raptors instilling much fear in opponents this season, especially after a 12-16 finish last year and four-game sweep at the hands of the Wizards.

Lowry, DeRozan, and center Jonas Valanciunas are fine players, but not the blue chippers that have basically become a prerequisite for making a serious Finals run. After years of mediocrity, Toronto appears to be trending back in that direction. Teams behind them in the standings a year ago have clearly gotten better and should push the Raptors back towards the outskirts of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Next: Holding Steady

Mar 3, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) shoots the ball against Chicago Bulls forward Mike Dunleavy (34) during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Wizards

The Wizards handled Toronto easily in the playoffs last season before falling to Atlanta in the second round. I see them being more capable of maintaining their position in the conference than the Raptors, despite the loss of Paul Pierce, who turned things on in the postseason and gave Washington an edge they hadn’t had before. The Wizards already had a potential replacement on the roster in small forward Otto Porter and they added Jared Dudley this offseason as well.

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The latter will provide some of the same grit and leadership Pierce did a year ago and Porter should benefit from what will likely be a significant increase in his time on the floor. He averaged just 6 points and 3 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game last season, but the 3rd pick from the 2013 draft ramped up his performance in the postseason. In 10 playoff games Porter averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds in 33 minutes per. If he continues to build on that improvement Washington should be in good shape at the small forward position.

Of course, the Wizards’ success hinges most on the play of their backcourt. Point guard John Wall has improved every year he’s been in the league, as evidenced by two straight All-Star appearances. He finished second in the NBA in assists last season and is clearly the engine that makes Washington go. His running mate Bradley Beal missed 19 games last season with injuries, but at full strength has the potential to be a consistent 20-point scorer.

The roster is solid upfront with center Marcin Gortat, power forward Nene, and Kris Humphries coming off the bench. The Wizards finished third in the league in rebounding differential and ninth in opponents point per game last season. They’ll keep things close in the fourth quarter and grind out wins. Losing a future Hall of Famer like Pierce no doubt hurts in the locker room, but Porter’s improvement should make it less of an issue on the court. It’s Wall’s time to lead. He’s lived up to all the expectations that come with being a number one pick and grown into one of league’s best point guards. With him leading the charge Washington should be capable of at least matching the 46 wins of a year ago.

Chicago Bulls

Chicago has been holding steady near the top of the conference for years. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to make it over the hump while enduring Derrick Rose‘s injury saga. Coach Tom Thibodeau, who went 255-139 in five seasons, is out and 43-year-old Fred Hoiberg is in, landing his first NBA head coaching gig this offseason after manning the sidelines at Iowa State. We’ll see what he can do with a talent-laden team that enjoys an unusual amount of roster continuity.

The core of Rose, Joakim Noah, and Jimmy Butler have all been with Chicago their entire careers, as has key reserve Taj Gibson. They’ve spent the majority of their time in the league playing for Thibodeau. In Butler’s case, Thibodeau is the only pro coach he’s had. Adjusting to Hoiberg could take some time, but the Bulls’ familiarity with one another should be enough to get them through. They have a strong supporting cast, with longtime pros Mike Dunveavy and Kirk Hinrich, as well as Nikola Mirotic, who finished second a year ago in Rookie of the Year voting. Center Pau Gasol thrived in his first year in Chicago, averaging a double-double and making the All-NBA team for the first time since 2011.

Still, Rose remains the face of the franchise and the key to Chicago’s Finals hopes. He’s played just 100 games the past four years, including missing all of 2012-13. Before that, he appeared in all but six games in his first three seasons. He could play 20 games this year or 80, regardless the Bulls will be a very good team. If they don’t at least match the 50 wins from a season ago they’ll have underperformed.

But getting past LeBron, whose teams have eliminated Chicago in four of the past six postseasons, will take Rose returning to his MVP form of 2010-11. It may be too much to ask of a player who’s already endured so much wear and tear. Gasol and Butler can carry the Bulls towards the top of the Eastern Conference standings. It must be Rose, however, who’s gets them back to Jordan territory. Once again, James will be standing in their way.

Next: The King and His Court

Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) on the court during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers

Injuries decimated the Cavaliers in the playoffs last year, but if they have some good fortune in that department this season the East should be theirs for the taking. And by taking I mean a complete rampage through the conference, no one within ten games of them come playoff time. The Cavs started 19-20 last year before ripping off 12 straight wins and going 34-9 overall to finish the season. That’s a win percentage that puts them at around 65 victories when played out over the course of an entire season.

They have their whole core roster returning, including Tristan Thompson, whose contract dispute ended this week when he signed a five-year deal. Mo Williams has come on board as well and should provide some solid scoring off the bench. LeBron James’ back has been acting up a bit and he could miss the season opener, but he’s been phenomenally durable throughout his career. Even if he takes a brief recovery break, as he did last season, Cleveland should be able to continue rolling right along with Thompson, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving.

Last season’s growing pains and the David Blatt in-or-out drama are behind them. This team has one goal in mind. They came up two wins short with a pair of All-Stars sidelined. I don’t see anyone in the East standing in their way of a return trip to the Finals. It would be LeBron’s 7th appearance. He’s 2-4 so far, definitely not Jerry West numbers, but still a disappointing mark for a player who’s so clearly the best of his generation and near the top all-time.

If Cleveland indeed makes it back they’ll of course have to topple whatever battle-hardened team emerges from the brutal Western Conference. It could be the Warriors again or perhaps the Spurs, who’ve shown James the door twice, but also been his Finals opponent for one of his championship seasons. Cleveland is certainly capable of winning it all. Even in defeat, LeBron silenced some critics last year with heroic performances against Golden State. It will take those same efforts and the support of a healthy lineup around him to deliver the Cavaliers their first NBA title.

Next: So Where Do The Celtics Fit In All This?

Mar 4, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) and guard Avery Bradley (0) celebrate against the Utah Jazz during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Boston Celtics

I would put Brad Stevens’ squad strongly in the ‘Up and Up’ category. What they lack in star power they’ll make up for in balance, with multiple players capable of contributing strong minutes at every position. The Celtics went 20-9 to finish last season, in large part due to the acquisition of Isaiah Thomas, who joined the team on February 19th and only appeared in 21 games. The first round sweep at the hands of the Cavaliers tempered the good feelings a bit, but Boston should pick things up right where they left off prior to that series.

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Mathis Bauchner

Cambridge, Massachusetts, born and raised. Enjoyer of numerous Championship parades. Covering the Boston sports scene and all its craziness to the best of my abilities.