The Eastern Conference Finals are finally set, and it will see the Boston Celtics take on the Indiana Pacers. There is almost a week between the last time the Celtics played a game after eliminating the Cavs. Indiana defeated the Knicks in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. There is a narrative that the Pacers wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for injuries. In the first round, they defeated the Bucks and Milwaukee was without Giannis the entire series. Damian Lillard missed a couple of games also during that series. In the second round, the Knicks were banged up and even Jalen Brunson went down in Game 7 with a fractured hand. Boston has been the best team in the East and arguably the league the entire season. We haven’t talked about Boston facing teams dealing with injuries.

The Celtics took out Miami in the first round and they were without Jimmy Butler. In the second round, they took out the Cleveland Cavs in five games. Cleveland was without Jarrett Allen the entire series. Donovan Mitchell didn’t play in the final two games and the Cavs team was depleted. This should turn out to be a good series between these two teams. Boston is hoping to get Kristaps Porzingis some time this series with the long layoff. Indiana will continue to be a tough and gritty team. Can Boston make their second NBA Finals appearance in three years? The Celtics fell to the Golden State Warriors back in 2022. Can Indiana make their first NBA Finals appearance in over 20 years? Let’s see will Boston or Indiana advance to the NBA Finals?

Will Boston Advance?

The Boston Celtics have been the favorites from the East all season. They traded for and extended Jrue Holiday which solidified their defense. They also traded for Kristaps Porzingis and that made them a more championship team. Jayson Tatum and Jaylyn Brown have arguably the most to prove out of any stars remaining in the playoffs. Tatum was once an MVP candidate, and the Celtics gave Brown a huge contract extension. Will the Celtics get Porzingis sometime in this series? Having Porzingis gives the Celtics that interior defender and someone who can stretch the floor. It will come down to how well the Celtics play because they sometimes don’t play up to their ability. Derrick White will have to play a major role and they may keep Holiday on Haliburton. Will the Celtics advance to the NBA Finals again? Will Porzingis make an appearance in this series?

Will Indiana Advance?

Indiana have come out of nowhere, but they are a legit and solid team. They did advance to the inaugural In-Season Tournament Championship game. The experience gave this team confidence they could be special. Before the trade deadline, they acquired Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. Siakam provides championship experience and he’s a great scorer and defender. Tyrese Haliburton is one of the best point guards in the league. The Pacers are more than just Haliburton, Siakam, and Miles Turner though. T.J. McConnell provided a spark off the bench on both sides of the ball. Aaron Nesmith brings a certain toughness to this team. Obi Toppin and Andrew Nembhard are two of seven Pacer players to average double figures in the playoffs. Can Indiana continue to get great play out of their rotation? Will they advance to their first NBA Finals in over 20 years?

Who Will Advance to the NBA Finals?

We know for Boston it will come down to Jayson Tatum and Jaylyn Brown. For Indiana, it will be Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. For Boston, the big question is the health and availability of Kristaps Porzingis. Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Payton Pritchard, Al Horford, and Luke Kormet will have to impact this series. On the flip side, T.J. McConnell, Aaron Nesmith, Miles Turner, and Andrew Nembhard will need to play huge. Boston was expected to be here from the beginning of the season. Indiana wasn’t the first choice to get here, but they are and have a legit shot at winning. If the Pacers can continue to get contributions from their bench they can win this series. Brown and Tatum will make or break this series and that’s with or without Porzingis. This will be a great series and I’m picking the Celtics to advance. Boston Win Series 4-2

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