Sir Charles in Charge
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The East Playoffs Are Weird

By Tomas Kassahun

Apr 15, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Indiana Pacers center Kevin Seraphin (1) throws a pass while defended by Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23), guard JR Smith (5) and guard Kyrie Irving (2) in the third quarter in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 15, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Indiana Pacers center Kevin Seraphin (1) throws a pass while defended by Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23), guard JR Smith (5) and guard Kyrie Irving (2) in the third quarter in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Midway through the first round of the NBA playoffs, the Eastern Conference field struggles to find any sort of consistency

The first round of the NBA Playoffs is not yet over, but many of us already need to reconsider what we thought we knew. Especially in the Eastern Conference, there has been no shortage of surprises already.

We can start with the Boston Celtics, the team that was supposed to challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Eastern Conference title. Instead of playing like one of the favorites, the No. 1-seeded Celtics got off to a slow start in the first two games and now find themselves in a 2-2 series tie with the No. 8 Chicago Bulls.

Thankfully for the Celtics, they were able to play much better in the last two games to tie the series. Still, the Celtics don’t have much to celebrate. The fact that they were down 2-0 against the Bulls is a huge concern.

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At the end of the day, what we are really learning is that the Celtics are not yet ready to challenge the Cavs or the even the Wizards.

Particularly if Thomas is the only one making shots, as we saw earlier in this series against the Bulls, the Celtics playoff life will be short-lived.

And when we consider how the Bulls lost Rondo, the Celtics’ last two wins become even less convincing.

The good news for the Celtics is that the Cavs haven’t been all that convincing either. We can talk all day about how great it is to get a sweep, but we can’t ignore how the Cavs showed flaws in the series against the Pacers.

Remember how the Cavs could have suffered an embarrassing loss at home if C.J. Miles makes that last second shot in Game 1. Then, remember Game 2 when the Cavs allowed 111 points against the Pacers and barely squeaked out a six-point win.

Most importantly, remember Game 3 when the Cavs needed a massive effort from LeBron James to overcome a 25-point deficit. Against tougher competition in later rounds, the Cavs can’t afford to fall into these huge deficits.’

Nor can they afford to count on one man to rescue them, even if it’s the King.

So, at this point, it’s safe to say the Cavs haven’t turned on that switch they’ve been waiting to switch all season long. We’ll see if the Cavs can put together a more all-around performance as they enter the second round.

Don’t get me wrong. The Cavs are still the favorite to win the East. But that’s because nobody else has been consistent.

Must Read: The Chicago Bulls Are Exactly Who We Thought They Were

Even the Wizards, who looked solid in the first two games against the Hawks, took a big step back when they got blown out on the road in Game 3.

It’s anybody’s guess as to what will happen in the East in the next month.

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