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Full Court Press Newsletter
Round two of NBA playoffs should pose stiffer challenge for the Celtics

Round two of NBA playoffs should pose stiffer challenge for the Celtics

Cleveland's come-from-behind Game 7 win over Orlando puts the Cavs on a collision course with top-seeded Boston in the second round of the playoffs with Game 1 on Tuesday.

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Sherrod Blakely
May 05, 2024
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Full Court Press Newsletter
Full Court Press Newsletter
Round two of NBA playoffs should pose stiffer challenge for the Celtics
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Jayson Tatum, raising up for a shot over Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, earlier this season. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

BOSTON — As the final seconds ticked away in Cleveland’s series-clinching Game 7 win over Orlando, a familiar “WE WANT BAH-STON!” chant began to make the rounds at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

It was just a couple of weeks ago when the Miami Heat faithful uttered a similar request on the cusp of facing the Celtics in the first round.

Aside from a Game 2 loss, one in which the Miami Heat made more 3’s than any Miami Heat team in the franchise’s history, Boston had no trouble disposing of Miami.

However, Cleveland is a different team and presents a different set of challenges that makes Boston advancing to the Eastern Conference finals anything but a given.

Here are five factors that will make this second-round series a tougher one for the Celtics.

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