For years, the Boston Celtics have been the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Even when they don't come out of the East, which, admittedly, has been most of the time, the prospect of facing Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown has been threatening, especially for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
That's why, as much as watching LeBron James join the Philadelphia 76ers was a gut punch — and felt like another betrayal — at least the Celtics also broke up their star duo. It's been just one official game with their new core, but the first results are quite telling.
The Celtics let a double-digit lead slip right through their fingers against the Detroit Pistons. While it's too early to jump to conclusions, that loss perfectly summed up Paul George's career: He was great when it didn't count, and terrible when it mattered most.
The Cavs shouldn't feel threatened by this team.
The Cleveland Cavaliers should do just fine against the Boston Celtics
The most recent versions of the Cavaliers struggled to contain big wings who could put the ball on the floor. On paper, going against Tatum and George would be a matchup nightmare, though adding Peyton Watson and Mario Hezonja to the mix can definitely help.
Then again, is this version of Paul George a threat at all? Granted, he dropped 38 on opening night, but he hasn't been consistent or reliable in years, and he's also spent most of his time on the shelf with either injuries or a suspension. This is just unsustainable.
Of course, Tatum won't be as bad as he looked against the Pistons every day, so perhaps things even out a bit, but let's go beyond the numbers. There's just no way to say with a straight face that this Celtics team is better than the ones the Cavs faced in recent years.
Even if George and Tatum do thrive together, which is a big 'if,' who else will step up? As much as Celtics fans want to hype up Payton Pritchard, how often have glorified role players led a team to a championship? He's okay and a great shooter, but he's not a star, nor will he ever be.
The Eastern Conference will probably be more competitive than the West this season, which is a ton to say. But for the first time since the LeBron James era, it feels like the Celtics should be looking up to the Cavs and not the other way around.
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