With LeBron James out in La La Land the Celtics path to the NBA Finals got a lot easier but it also got more boring as well. Without LeBron there is no true villain or great rival for the Celtics to overcome in the East. Unless you count the Philadelphia 76ers.
Philly checks off all the boxes. Geography, history, and long standing contempt for one another are already baked in. Plus you’ve got two up and coming teams with young stars, a lot of attitude and a recent playoff clash to fuel each other’s hate fire.