The numbers certainly on Boston's side, but hey, they weren't on Florida's last year either before the Panthers pulled off a 3-1 comeback of their own.
People are tired of always hearing about the Celtics, and how good they are, without ever seeing them win. I get both sides of it. But it's not an excuse to devalue everything the '23-'24 team has done thus far. Nor is it a reason to doubt this team based on past years.
Officiating is always under the microscope in sports. That's because if an official is being noticed, it means a call has been made, and chances are 50% of the people watching the game are displeased to say the least.
Through the first six games, things look quite similar to the regular season. Boston has won 83% of its games, owns a +103 scoring differential and has an average margin of victory of 20.6ppg in their five wins.
While the Celtics are expected to dispatch of the Cavs with little trouble, after surviving a near-collapse, the Bruins are almost playing with house money after advancing to the second round for the fist time in three years. Boston is + odds to win the series at +155.
The Bruins are 112-32-20 in the regular season under Monty's charge, racking up 244 points - a franchise record for back-to-back seasons. But they're just 6-7 in the playoffs and have lost every closeout opportunity they've had to date.
If the Cavaliers win tonight's game, the Eastern Conference Semifinals would begin Sunday in Boston. If the Magic win tonight and force a Game 7 vs. Cleveland (SUN in Cleveland), the ECSF would then begin Tuesday in Boston.