The Boston Celtics are who we thought they were, the former NFL coach Dennis Green might say. If you want to crown ’em, then crown their — ah, never mind. But at least for the moment, Boston, after a methodical, workmanlike sweep of a resilient Indiana Pacers team in the first round, reflected the team that many preseason observers thought would waltz their way to the NBA Finals.
On one hand, this was the kind of series that should have been expected. Indiana, plenty scrappy during the season, was missing its best player, the flashy two-way swingman Victor Oladipo.