This is it. This is what the NBA has been missing. Indeed, the Celtics might have just saved the playoffs from being just another predictable and forgettable occurrence. Most conversations surrounding betting line basketball for Celtics VS Cavaliers game are expectedly chaotic.
No one saw this coming. No one thought the Boston Celtics could possibly overcome their 21-point deficit to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a truly stinging taste of defeat. And anyone claiming that they saw that final 111-108 victory for the Celtics is either lying or hiding some sinister psychic abilities.
Mind you, these are the same Celtics that left the Eastern Conference Finals weeping after losing at home on two separate occasions. To beat the defending champions on that same home floor is definitely unprecedented.
No doubt, by the time that final buzzer rung, LeBron James couldn’t believe that the Celtics had kept him away from the basket for those final sixteen minutes of the game. After averaging 34.3 points in every game, LeBron’s 11 points against the Celtics were a clear testament to his opponent’s strength.
Keep in mind the sort of team the Cavaliers were facing. Not only where the Celtics limping forward without Isaiah Thomas, their 2nd Team All-NBA Superstar but they were looking to Marcus Smart to provide backup despite the disappointing performances he has been delivering all season.
The negativity surrounding the Celtics in this game from pundits and analysts was more than a little deserved. They shouldn’t have won this game. Nothing in their arsenal has ever suggested that they could overcome a 21-pont deficit against a team like the Cavaliers.
But, alas, this might be the spark that finally ignites the excitement amongst fans for the playoffs. While no one can deny the quality of play delivered by the Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors, the manner in which these two teams have been dominating the NBA has left a bitter taste in the mouths of many fans.
That isn’t meant to take away from everything those two teams have achieved. But the NBA has been in need of a shake up for a while now. The NBA has suffered the backlash of fans seeking for something unpredictable.
And the dominance of the Cavaliers and the Warriors is anything but unpredictable. Of course, not everyone agrees with that line of reasoning.
Kobe Bryant has publicly argued against that mindset. He doesn’t understand why the dominance of the Warriors and the Cavaliers would be bad for basketball. While it isn’t always the wisest thing to disagree with a legend like Bryant, one need only look back to previous years (2011 to 2014) when the Miami Heat dominated the NBA finals. The disinterest of the fans during that period was quickly manifested by a drop in the ratings.
Basketball fans are always craving for something new. And the dominance of the Cavaliers and the Warriors has allowed the NBA to grow somewhat stale. The Celtics’ victory was not only stunning but it has given the NBA playoffs new life.
The Celtics have proven that no team is invulnerable and even the mightiest of sides can be made to kneel by a weaker foe. When the Golden State Warriors face the San Antonio Spurs, they won’t be as quick to let their guard down, not after what happened to the Cavaliers.