One of the more underrated centers in the NBA, the third year seven footer from Gonzaga, Kelly Olynyk made a name for himself once again as a deadly shooter, nailing 10 of 14 field goal attempts against the gritty Wizards. Olynyk officially finished with 26 points, second most following Isaiah Thomas (29 points), five rebounds and four assists, helping the C’s pave a Eastern Conference Finals date with the Cleveland Cavaliers. With these two players performing at such a high level, other guys who stepped up, like Jae Crowder (14 pts), Al Horford (15 pts), and Marcus Smart (13 points), have consistency played each and every game like it was their last. Utilizing Al Horford to his fullest was a call the Celtics had to make, as the rebounding margins against Washington (and Chicago for that matter), were concerning. The effort from both clubs was there, but the rise of Kelly Olynyk and the C’s overpowered the surging Wizards.
We know that Cleveland steamrolled the previous series with the Toronto Raptors and the Indiana Pacers, finishing a perfect 8-0 to sweep both clubs from title contention. The lineup that never seems to age and boasting lots of playoff experience, the Cavaliers, who finished 51-31 in the regular season, hope to return once again to the promise land of the NBA Finals. Led by arguably one of the best to lace them up, LeBron James is seeking his second consecutive Finals victory, but the roadblock of this Celtics squad is an obstacle that will require patience and dedication.
In this upcoming series, expect once again the gritty mentality from both clubs. For the Celtics to get this far into the playoffs is incredible enough, due to the coaching staff of the Celtics, especially the rise of the talented Brad Stevens. Each and every year we see Stevens raise the bar with each of the three teams he has coached, now four if including this year’s run. Gathering 53 wins and getting the number one seed in the East this season, Boston has legitimized themselves as the real deal, but NBA analysts and statisticians will debate the other side, claiming Boston is not in a ideal position to get into the Finals with a competitive team like Cleveland standing forth.
This Wednesday night, make sure to watch Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals along with the NBA Lottery kicking off Tuesday night at 8:30 pm et. Expect great basketball from both sides and the Celtics having an opportunity to obtain the #1 pick of the 2017 Draft if the odds play in Boston’s favor.
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