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10 Matchups We Want To See In The 2017 NBA Playoffs

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 1, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) is guarded by Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart (36) during the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) is guarded by Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart (36) during the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /
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2017 NBA Playoffs
Nov 3, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) drives to the basket between Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) and forward LeBron James (23) during the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 128-122. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Eastern Conference Finals: No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 2 Boston Celtics

No offense to the Wizards, the Raptors or the various challenges either one would pose for the Cavs, but if you’re looking for the biggest threat to Cleveland in the East, it’s still the Boston Celtics.

Assuming we get Cavaliers-Raptors in the second round, the blessings would be raining down if we got a seven-game series between LeBron James and the city of Boston in the conference finals. It’s really the only proper way to follow up the two epic semifinal series we already covered.

Cleveland owns the season series against the Celtics 2-1 so far, but all three games were decided by six points or less. These two teams don’t like each other, the city of Boston and LeBron don’t like each other and the individual matchups here are fascinating.

Can Isaiah Thomas continue his MVP-caliber play in the most important playoff series of his career, especially when LeBron gets switched onto him in a pinch? Can Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart cool down Kyrie Irving heat checks? Will Jae Crowder be able to contain King James and prevent him from completely going off?

Will Tristan Thompson eat Al Horford alive on the boards like he did in their last two head-to-head playoff meetings? Can a young Celtics bench make an impact against Cleveland’s three-point onslaught? Will Kevin Love unleash a revenge series because of the Kelly Olynyk incident from 2015?

There are tons of questions to be answered here, and though the edge would clearly be in Cleveland’s favor simply because of the LeBron factor, the Celtics would provide the Cavs with their greatest challenge in the East over the last two seasons.

Barring injury, this would be a gritty, old-fashioned slugfest between the two best teams in the conference. The Wizards and Raptors might present their own challenges for the Cavaliers, but if you’re looking for the most competitive matchup in the East for the defending champs, look no further than this potentially juicy series against Boston.