Who’s Got Next?

Apologies for how desolate it’s been around here the last week. That’s what happens when the Cavs sweep and get nine days off between series. It almost starts to feel like the off-season… and we all spend time on our day jobs we’ve neglected on game days. But, tonight (finally) we’ll discover the identity of the Eastern Conference Finals opponent the Cavs will face starting on Wednesday. Will it be the Wizards led by John Wall who hit a last second three to force Game 7? Or, will it be the Celtics fueled by their emotional diminutive dynamo Isaiah Thomas? And, more importantly… will it matter?

Both of these teams have shown themselves to be scrappy, physical try hard squads who have relied on will as much as talent to reach a seventh game in their series. It’s pretty obvious they don’t like each other, although tempers haven’t flared too much beyond the Double Kelly Shove-down in Game 3. They’ve instead reserved their barbs for off the court, like about who should rightfully get to wear black on game day. Neither team has been able to win on the other’s floor, however, so even though it’s gone to a deciding seventh game, there haven’t been many surprises.

The Cavs probably would just love to play a game again, since they haven’t even been allowed to do 5-on-5 scrimmages since Edy Tavares broke his hand in practice last week. They obviously wouldn’t want to give either Washington or Boston any motivation by declaring who they’d rather face in the next round, but that hasn’t stopped bored fans from speculating on who they’d like to see. On one hand, the Wiz have the edge of a strong starting five that boasts one of the best backcourts in the NBA, and a true difference-maker in Wall. Yet, their bench leaves much to be desired once the starters are off the floor. On the other hand, the Celtics have the edge of a multitude of physical role players they can send at teams in waves, punctuated by Thomas’ offensive fireworks. Yet, their lack of true length and rebounding leaves them vulnerable.

The extremely well-rested Cavs should have few problems handling whichever team emerges victorious from this drawn out battle, primarily because neither should be able to hang with Cleveland in the scoring department. Provided the Cavs continue their upward trend with respect to their defensive intensity, it shouldn’t be a question of whether they will win… but how many games it will require to do it. It’s possible that Boston holds a slightly larger advantage given that they have home court even over the Cavs as the number one seed. Yet, that factor didn’t help the Hawks much two years ago.

Prediction: The Celtics get the calls and the luck of the Irish at home, and get in line to be the Cavs’ next victim, as they finish off the Wizards… 118-114.

Follow along tonight at 8pm (EST) on TNT, and sound off here on who you’d like to see prevail…