King James Gospel
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Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics: King James Gospel Roundtable Preview

By Nathan Beighle

Apr 5, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) works the ball against Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) in the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) works the ball against Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) in the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 20, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) brings the ball up court against the Indiana Pacers in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Cleveland defeats Indiana 119-114. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 20, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) brings the ball up court against the Indiana Pacers in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Cleveland defeats Indiana 119-114. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Quinn Van den Heuvel (@Quinn_VdH)

At best, it will be one-sided. The Cavaliers are rolling, Lebron is playing his best basketball since returning to the Cavaliers (outside of the last three 2016 NBA Finals games, of course), and this is probably the most talented team top to bottom he has ever played with.  Not to mention the Cavs are coming off a longer rest (9 days) than they had even during this year All-Star break (7 days), are fully healthy, and seem to have navigated just about every challenge the man upstairs could think to throw at them over the past two seasons.

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It won’t matter that the Celtics have the first two games at home, or that Isiah Thomas and Boston’s role players have been playing well. It won’t matter that they have won their first two playoff series with this crew, that Brad Stevens has them looking like a well-oil machine on both sides of the ball, or that Cleveland will be rusty to start Wednesday night’s game. No, Boston is simply out-matched at every position, and is about to realize how big the talent gap is between them and the Cavaliers is. They still have no answer for Lebron James or Kyrie Irving. What is worse is that any confidence the Celtics had at challenging the Cavaliers was lost in that 30 point beat down at home late in the regular season.

Cleveland knows its vital to their title hopes that this be a short series and they go into the Finals well rested and full healthy. They may not say so publicly but they are looking across the country at the Western Conference Finals, and with Kawhi Leonard not at full strength, another Golden State- Cleveland Finals seems inevitable.

Cavs in 4.