Heading into the 2017-18 NBA season, most predicted the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers would meet for the second consecutive year in the Eastern Conference Finals. Taking into account Kyrie Irving’s trade request and all of the conflicting reports that followed, it was going to be the ultimate showdown between him and LeBron James.
However, as the 2018 NBA playoffs began, no one could have predicted that these two teams would be left standing. After Irving underwent a second knee surgery that will keep him out for the remainder of the season, the Celtics were considered undermanned with just Al Horford and numerous young prospects.