ESPN’s Mike Breen impressed by Celtics
COMMENTARY
Proud champion LeBron James may be the self-proclaimed “last person to ask” about the significance of regular-season games, though I’d probably go with Bill Russell there, or perhaps Michael Jordan, both of whom have far more extensive ring collections.
As James was quick to point out recently when asked about Wednesday’s Celtics-Cavaliers bout at TD Garden, he’s played in six straight NBA Finals, four with the Heat and two during his sequel with the Cavs. Big games are his bag, he’s telling us in his less-than-humble way, though I should note I don’t recall Larry Bird — let alone Russell or Jordan — yawning off the potential magnitude of a matchup for the top seed in a conference. They wanted blood and victory every single time they took the court, stakes be damned.
Perhaps James does too, and the competitive juices will flow once the game begins. But the underlying suggestion, it seems, is that the defending champion Cavs having bigger things ahead, while this game means more to the Celtics, who haven’t ascended to true contender/threat status in his eyes yet.
It’s the kind of arrogance a champion can probably afford for now. James’s team did win titles in three of those Finals trips, including an all-timer of a comeback against the 73-win Warriors last June. And the Cavs will be the favorite to return to the Finals no matter where they’re ultimately seeded.
But, cautions Mike Breen, who will handle the play-by-play of the game broadcast on ESPN (8 p.m. – it also airs locally on CSN), James is not going to be able to underestimate the Celtics much longer, if that is indeed what he is doing now.
“I’m not sure the Celtics are ready to mount a true championship challenge just yet,’’ said Breen, “but they have taken a fast path toward getting to this point where they are a legitimate contender for the top seed. It’s been impressive and remarkable to watch them get to this point in a few short years, the work Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens have put it to make this come together so fast. If anyone is underestimating them now, they won’t be able to do so for much longer without consequences. And I suspect LeBron knows this.”
The Celtics have some relevant advantages in Wednesday’s matchup. Cleveland is playing the second game of a back to back, having won in Orlando last night. On the back half of road back-to-backs this season, the Cavs, hardly the quickest team in the league at full strength, turn full-on sluggish, going 1-9 in those situations. This is also their fifth game in seven days.
“This is the hard part of defending a championship,’’ said Breen. “It’s such a grind deep into June to win it, and then the following season, you may still be feeling the effects. Meanwhile, every team you play is gunning to take you down because you’re the champ.
