2024 NBA Playoffs: East Semifinals: #1 Boston Celtics vs #4 Cleveland Cavaliers (BOS WINS 4-1)

[Enso]

Didint get a chance to catch the game but just reading a few pages and glancing at the score looks like the Cavs got a severe beat down.

[Fencer reregistered]

No they wouldn’t.

Yes they would

In what world would the Wolves be the favorite over the Celtics?

Just say the wolves are going to win because that's what you believe, that's a subjective take.

Objectively there's no way the wolves would be the favorites.

Celtics in 6.

If the wolves even get there.

The regular season series between the two teams was one of the closest ever. (2 OT games, each team winning at home.)

[titlebound1]

Why are we talking about the wolves? Boston is blowing teams out and people are still finding ways to nitpick them. Let the games play out. We'll worry about the freaking Timberwolves if they manage to make it out of the west.

[LaLover11]

Didint get a chance to catch the game but just reading a few pages and glancing at the score looks like the Cavs got a severe beat down.

Are you surprised? Spida is playing with a college team

[Enso]

Didint get a chance to catch the game but just reading a few pages and glancing at the score looks like the Cavs got a severe beat down.

Are you surprised? Spida is playing with a college team

Thought the first game would be closer due to the time
Off for C’s but no, nobody should be surprised in Cleveland getting gentleman sweeped.

[Fencer reregistered]

One thing I found interesting during the 4th quarter was when they indicated how far away from returning Allen is. Can't even raise his arms yet, etc. If he is able to come back, I would not expect him to be able to make much of a difference. He must have some deeply bruised ribs.

If not fractured, as they hinted on the air despite the official injury report.

[California Gold]

He kind of has a point. If they face the Wolves right NOW? Without Porz? Yeah, the Wolves would be heavy favorites since that’s a bad matchup for them without him. But if they have him, different story.

Wrong. The Celtics are heavy favorites to win it all (+100 and in some books -110 or higher) before this game started and with Minnesota 2-0 in their series they were +290. Even if you factor in a tougher opponent that they might have in the WCF compared to what the Celtics would have against the Knicks/Pacers it's still such a big discrepancy in how big the C's are favored compared to the rest of the NBA.

Bet on it then

I don't bet on sports - I'd rather spend my money enjoying life.

[JujitsuFlip]

One thing I found interesting during the 4th quarter was when they indicated how far away from returning Allen is. Can't even raise his arms yet, etc. If he is able to come back, I would not expect him to be able to make much of a difference. He must have some deeply bruised ribs.

If not fractured, as they hinted on the air despite the official injury report.

Yeah, I'm almost positive Mo broke Allen's ribs.

[California Gold]

He kind of has a point. If they face the Wolves right NOW? Without Porz? Yeah, the Wolves would be heavy favorites since that’s a bad matchup for them without him. But if they have him, different story.

Wrong. The Celtics are heavy favorites to win it all (+100 and in some books -110 or higher) before this game started and with Minnesota 2-0 in their series they were +290. Even if you factor in a tougher opponent that they might have in the WCF compared to what the Celtics would have against the Knicks/Pacers it's still such a big discrepancy in how big the C's are favored compared to the rest of the NBA.

…please re read my post.

Porzingis is currently hurt and nobody knows how he will look even against a potential matchup if the Celtics got that far. I'm simply pointing out that regardless of what you think about the Celtics, the books have the Celtics as heavy favorites in the present as of today. The books know he's not out of the playoffs but they don't know how healthy he will be when he plays. You might get a hobbled or 50% Porzingis or someone that reinjures it given that it's a common injury to reinjure.

Having said all of that betting odds are also not always about who the best team is - they're hedging the money that's already out there on the Celtics during the playoffs by lowering the odds as well as futures bets from earlier in the season.

[Jaqua92]

All the 3rd-party fans in here using this boring-ass game to bash the Celtics. At the end of the day we'll be the ones in the Finals and I like our chances against Minny.

I’m not bashing the Celtics man. You guys have not been tested at all like the wolves have. That’s something to consider going forward. And I don’t consider the Knicks a serious contender either

Well then it sounds like you just went into this thinking nobody from the east had a chance. At which point I don't see the point in even entertaining your thoughts on the matter.

What even is that take? Celtics haven't been tested like the Wolves?

The Celtics who's core has been to 4 conference finals? The Wolves who just got out of the first round for the first time in 20 years?

The Wolves, who have played a top heavy, old and broken Phoenix team, and a Denver team with 3 injured guards, and their backup big injured since last year?

The Wolves team is the epitome of untested.

I'm convinced people are jumping on the wolves to root against the Celtics. That team has shown me nothing that makes me pause. Because they're average offensively.

[jokeboy86]

Why are we talking about the wolves? Boston is blowing teams out and people are still finding ways to nitpick them. Let the games play out. We'll worry about the freaking Timberwolves if they manage to make it out of the west.

Wolves are up on the defending champs, they're new unlike the Tatum/Brown Celtics, but the real reason is because the national media/networks/casuals desperately want Edwards to be the new face of the league because in their eyes he marks all the boxes that they feel that other guys like Tatum and SGA(and especially the Euros besides Victor)don't have. No Lebron/Curry/KD in the 2nd round is a scenario they really didn't prep for to such an extent that ESPN still doesn't know how to go a day w/o talking about Lebron even with the playoffs going on.

[Asian Celtic]

It's just azcats changing this thread into Celtics vs Wolves and y'all are falling for it. Lol

[SweaterBae]

Where are those two posters saying Boston was a better matchup than Orlando? lmfao!

[Riverwalk2021]

Celtics have won 21 straight games when White shoots the rock 12 or more times. Awesome stat.

[PlatinumState]

This series is over, Cleveland should forfeit the rest of the games

[axeman23]

Celtics vs magic would have been so much more entertaining....

It probably would have been the same result though or worst because we're a worst shooting team then Cavs.

I'm not saying we would win but and we may have seen a few blow outs but seeing the young magic face the Eastern conference Champs and giving them some fight is better then this dead in the water Cleveland team.

Maybe your team should have done better to beat this "dead in the water" team you speak of, then? And this is not meant as a slight against Magic fans in general, who have been more or less gracious in general.

[axeman23]

Is it Niang time?

He was my favorite player in the last series.

I'd guess he was SEVERAL Orlando fans' favourite player in the last series... haha

[axeman23]

Can JB be fired in the middle of a game

I wanted to leave him in Orlando last series lol but i also wanted to get rid of him after game 5 against the Knicks last season and the play-in in 2022.

He's not good and very clueless.

On the positive(?) (maybe neutral???) side, I did want Nurse to take his place, and he hasn't set the world on fire. At least we don't have to watch JB bitch and whine after every play...

[axeman23]

One thing I found interesting during the 4th quarter was when they indicated how far away from returning Allen is. Can't even raise his arms yet, etc. If he is able to come back, I would not expect him to be able to make much of a difference. He must have some deeply bruised ribs.

"Get your ass out there, JA! We got a series to win!!!" Meanwhile, JA suiting up:

[JujitsuFlip]

Can JB be fired in the middle of a game

I wanted to leave him in Orlando last series lol but i also wanted to get rid of him after game 5 against the Knicks last season and the play-in in 2022.

He's not good and very clueless.

On the positive(?) (maybe neutral???) side, I did want Nurse to take his place, and he hasn't set the world on fire. At least we don't have to watch JB bitch and whine after every play...

I don't even know who i want to take his place. After 5 seasons, the team needs a new voice, a new scheme/ideology, and most of all someone who understands that there's more to coaching than just telling the guys to play hard.