Celtics Likely Less Cavalier Against Cleveland

It took much longer than expected, but the 66-win Boston Celtics finally put away the 37-win Atlanta Hawks in the First Round. That they needed seven games to do it shocked just about everyone who saw either team play in the regular season.

But does the length of their First Round series have any effect on the Celtics as they move forward? Have they lost some of their swagger knowing that no other team needed seven games to advance to the Conference Semifinals? Have the Hawks exposed a vulnerability in Boston that a more serious contender can take advantage of to the tune of four wins instead of just three?

We're about to find out, because here come LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, last year's Eastern Conference champs.

Cleveland enters the second round aiming to build upon its six-game elimination of the rival Washington Wizards. The Cavaliers struggled throughout the season's second half as they worked several players -- Ben Wallace, Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak and Joe Smith -- into the rotation following a three-team deal at the trade deadline, but received strong contributions from each in the first round, highlighted by West's Game-4-winning three-pointer.

Newcomers or not, however, Cleveland's fate rests upon the back of one man: LeBron James. The fifth-year forward scored at least 30 points in each of the Cavaliers' first three wins, topping his series with a triple-double (27 points, 13 rebounds, 13 assists) in a 105-88 victory in Game 6. After Joe Johnson exposed Boston's struggles to defend scoring swingmen, James is likely salivating at a chance to play underdog.

But in order to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals, James and the Cavs will have to find a way to win at the TD Banknorth Garden, and the Celtics won their four First Round home games by an average margin of 25.3 points. Scoring against the vaunted Celtics defense in their house has proven to be a difficult task. Of course, Cleveland's defense isn't too shabby either. So, don't expect many high scoring affairs in this series.

James is arguably the best player in the world. And the Celtics have been the best team in the league this year. Will it be The Player or The Team?

I can't wait for this match, cleveland cavalier fans are pissing me off and my fellow pistonians also got pissed with them.

so, im routing for boston to beat this one man cleveland team!!

WE SHALL THINK BIG!!

I wan Celtics Pistons in the ECF!!

Its going to be a great game.