For years now, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been the proverbial 'little brother' to the Boston Celtics. While the Cavaliers have struggled to get over the hump, the Celtics have reached the pinnacle of success, winning a championship in the 2023-24 season.
In that same season, Cleveland took on Boston in the second round of the playoffs and it was not close at all. Boston won easily in five games, holding the Cavaliers to 102 points or less in each of their four losses.
Despite that, things looked somewhat optimistic for Cleveland. Evan Mobley had a breakout series and Jarrett Allen didn't even play. That had fans wondering what things were going to look like once the Cavaliers were at full strength
Last year, neither Cleveland nor Boston had the postseason that they wanted. The Cavaliers struggles were a product of a semi-flawed roster while the Celtics were shocked by the New York Knicks before an Achilles tear from Jayson Tatum put the nail in the coffin.
This season, with Tatum still out, Jrue Holiday in Portland, and Kristaps Porzingis in Atlanta, the Celtics were thought of to have looked more vulnerable than they have in years. The Cavaliers were set to take over as the favorites in the Eastern Conference.
However, things haven't gone so smoothly.
Cleveland has gotten off to an underwhelming 15-12 start, leading to a multitude of questions. That includes if Darius Garland will ever be fully healthy this year without an extended rest and if the current roster construction is even good enough to go all the way.
The Celtics, on the other hand, are only a half game better at 15-11. Even so, they have a significantly more optimistic outlook within the weak East.
Jayson Tatum's potential return should terrify the Cavaliers
It's no secret that in recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in Achilles injuries, but the flip side of that coin is that the recovery period is being somewhat expedited. Tatum got hurt in late April, but the Celtics have yet to rule him out for the 2025-26 season.
In fact, there have even been rumors that Tatum could return as early as January, but it's much more likely that his return comes closer to the postseason, likely in March or April.
Currently, Boston sits in fourth in the East. Even if they do not finish in the top six, they will almost certainly finish in the top 10. That is good for a postseason berth in some form, even if it's just the Play-In Tournament.
So, the idea that Boston could be left out of the playoffs altogether has certainly passed. That should decrease the likelihood of the Celtics just shutting Tatum down.
Even if Tatum does not get back to full strength, he will make the Celtics terrifying to play against, especially for the Cavs. In the the 2023-24 playoffs against Cleveland, Tatum didn't have his best series, shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from 3-point. However, he still averaged 26.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists to go along with 2.6 stocks (steals + blocks).
Tatum is a matchup nightmare for the Cavaliers, as he typically plays the power forward. While Mobley is amongst the leagues premier defenders, he's better off guarding a more off-ball forward or center so he can act as a roamer, and Allen simply can't stay in front of Tatum.
De'Andre Hunter would likely be the ideal matchup with his size and strength, but he has been a disappointment thus far. Max Strus took the brunt of the responsibility two seasons ago but that didn't go too well. Isaac Okoro, now with the Chicago Bulls, is no longer an option.
Celtics could add massive reinforcements at the NBA trade deadline
After Tatum's injury, the Celtics anticipated being out of contention this season, shipping away Holiday and Porzingis. Now, things look different and Boston could be primed to make a move.
Boston's payroll is expensive, ranking sixth in the league on that front, but they're still paying almost $30 million less than Cleveland is. Anfernee Simons would be a near lock to send away as part of the deal, subtracting a significant chunk from the payroll.
That comes before mentioning that Boston has four draft picks in this year's class (one first and three seconds). They have the ammo to make a splash.
With the absence of Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet from last year's squad, the center position will have to be addressed. Neemias Queta has stepped into the starting lineup and hasn't been bad, but the options behind him of Luka Garza, Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman Sr. won't cut it.
For low-cost options, Boston could look towards players with winning pedigrees now with smaller roles on bad teams such as Kevon Looney or Brook Lopez. They could also look at making a bigger splash, with names such as Nic Claxton, Ivica Zubac, or even Lauri Markannen (who won't play center, but could step into a hybrid role).
Whatever move Brad Stevens and company inevitably make, it will force Cleveland's hand to make a move as well. That is especially true given the early season struggles. Perhaps, if Boston acquires one of the biggest names mentioned above, the Cavaliers would considering trading one of Garland or Allen for more productive players.
Either way, given Boston's optimistic start, the pressure is up on the Cavaliers to change something fast to capitalize on what was supposed to be their year to be the top dog in the East.