“Somewhere, Craig Ehlo is smiling. He’s probably smiling because the Cleveland Cavaliers knocked off the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Cavaliers were 0-5 lifetime in playoff series with the Bulls including one series where Michael Jordan made The Shot over one Craig Ehlo.”
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Somewhere, Craig Ehlo is smiling.

He’s probably smiling because the Cleveland Cavaliers knocked off the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

The Cavaliers were 0-5 lifetime in playoff series with the Bulls including one series where Michael Jordan made The Shot over one Craig Ehlo.

Now that the Bulls are out of the way, the Cavs will play against a foe who has not been kind to them in the past: the Boston Celtics.

In 2008, the Celtics defeated the Cavs in a seven game series, spoiling the Cavs hopes of returning to the finals for the second straight year.

The Celtics went on to win the NBA championship on the wings of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.

Sadly for the city of Boston, its 2010, two years later and two years of age and rust on the bones of the Celtics.

You will see a different Cavaliers team this year in not only an improved LeBron James, but an improved supporting cast.

The starters for Cleveland in 2008 were Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, Zydrunas Illgauskas, Ben Wallace and LeBron James.

In 2010 the starters are Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, Antawn Jamison, Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James.

Needless to say, this year’s team is leaps and bounds above the 2008 version.

For the Celtics, Pierce, Allen and Garnett are all near the end of their careers and do not have enough steam to beat one of the best lineups in the NBA.

I think that the Cavs will almost certainly take the first two games of the series at home.

After that, in Boston, they will either go 0-2 or 1-1. We have seen before that Boston is a high intensity environment come playoff time and this year will be no different.

If the Cavs go 0-2 in Boston, they will win the series in six games (4-2), but if they win one in Boston, they will win the series in five games (4-1).

I really can’t see Boston making as big of an impact on the Cavaliers as they have in the past.

Anything more than two wins would be a shock to me, as well as other sports fans.

I predict is this is the last time you will see the Celtics this far in the playoffs with Pierce, Allen and Garnett.

They are too old and brittle to carry on like they have been.

With Boston in the dust trails, let’s worry about Orlando.

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