Brian Windhorst is from Northeast Ohio. The analyst is a regular on ESPN Cleveland. So, when the man quietly reveals he does not have complete faith in the Cleveland Cavaliers to make the NBA Finals, it will sting for many of the team's fans.
When did this moment happened? It was a read between the lines statement made on NBA Today. Windhorst was discussing his travel plans for the time around the NBA Finals. The ESPN analyst has three cities already accounted for, just in case. Cleveland was not one of them.
Windhorst said, "I actually made the hotel reservations in San Antonio two weeks ago ... for June. ... I made them in OKC months ago. ... Now, I have them in Boston, but let me just say there's a little bit of an asterisk. The World Cup is in Boston."
There was another asterisk to add here. Windhorst said Cleveland, Detroit, New York, and Denver are all places that have been looked at too. However, no reservations had been made. Those destinations may not carry the same type of confidence as the first three mentioned.
Celtics stand out as Brian Windhorst's Eastern Conference favorite
Windhorst mentioned that when the Boston Celtics get Jayson Tatum back, it should be a 'difference-maker' for their team. That is a fair sentiment to have, given what the Celtics have proven up until this point.
Boston has outperformed Cleveland during the regular season without their best player being available just yet. The Celtics, 38-20, are second in the Eastern Conference while the Cavaliers, 37-23, sit a couple games back. Granted, this is not going to come down to standings in the long run.
Once the NBA Playoffs start, all bets are off, to some capacity. However, the Celtics hold a clear edge over the Cavaliers in that department too. Cleveland is still looking to prove themselves when it comes to spring-time basketball. Boston has been there and done that.
The Celtics certainly had a stacked deck in 2024 when they won the title. They have since moved on from core pieces like Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford in an effort to save money and duck the second apron. They still remain a formidable foe regardless.
It is easy to understand why many, including Windhorst, could view the Celtics as the favorites out of the Eastern Conference right now. In a season filled with a ton of unpredictability, Boston offers a feeling of trust that no one else does in the East. For the Cavaliers, that should just be more fuel to the fire.