Celtics big test: Awaken from East cakewalk for the NBA Finals

Thanks to a 64-win regular season, the Boston Celtics secured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and a favorable path to the NBA Finals.

But this is turning into a cakewalk. 

Boston defeated the host Cleveland Cavaliers 109-102 on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in its Eastern Conference semifinal series. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 33 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown chipped in 27 points.

One look at the final score, and it would seemingly be safe to assume that Monday’s game provided the type of playoff basketball that you dream about. Superstars going at it, stout defense, you know, the whole nine yards.

That wasn’t the case. 

Cleveland was without leading scorer Donovan Mitchell (calf) and big man Jarrett Allen (ribs), forcing the Cavaliers to turn to a nine-man rotation that gave Dean Wade 25 minutes and woke up Tristan Thompson for another nine.

Georges Niang, a Lawrence, Mass., native, even got some run, and rumor has it, there are three or four guys who frequently play pickup in his hometown with the exact same skill set.

All jokes aside, Game 4 of the series was no Hardwood Classic. 

Led by Darius Garland (30 points), the Cavaliers gave Boston a run for its money, but the Celtics ultimately had too much firepower and exited Cleveland without much perspiration.

Boston managed to see an already easy road to the Finals become an even easier journey than first envisioned.

In the Celtics’ first-round series against Miami, Heat star Jimmy Butler didn’t log a single minute due to a knee injury. Starting point guard Terry Rozier (neck) also watched from the bench. Forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., who finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, also missed time, sitting out Game 5 with a strained right hip flexor.

Should Boston get past Cleveland (of course, it should), either the New York Knicks or Indiana Pacers stand in the way in the Eastern Conference finals.

Neither team would stand a chance in the Western Conference semifinals. Neither team has a prayer against Boston.

On one side you have New York, the team dealing with a hobbled Jalen Brunson that is also without OG Anunoby, and on the other you have Indiana. The Pacers’ hopes hinge on All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton shaking back and ankle injuries. Indiana doesn’t get to Boston – let alone through Boston – with Haliburton hobbled. 

Let it be known: the Celtics deserve to be in this spot.

Boston put together a dominant regular season – historic even – but the talent it would end up seeing in the Finals is going to be far greater than what the East is currently rolling out.

The Celtics are untested facing the best of the best this postseason. 

That fact presents challenges when it comes time to kick things into high gear when the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks or Oklahoma City Thunder enter the picture.

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla insists his team will be ready for whatever gets thrown its way, though.

“There’s no one way to go about winning,” Mazzulla said. “Every game’s different, every series is different. So, whatever situation we’re in, we have to match that mindset -- to do whatever it takes.”