BOSTON (AP) — So much about the journey the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers have taken to the Eastern Conference finals has been about what – or specifically who – they haven’t had to face to get to here. Top-seeded Boston mostly coasted to a 4-1 first-round series win over a Miami Heat team that played without Jimmy Butler, the player who’d tormented and broken the heart of the Celtics in Game 7 of last season’s conference finals. They then posted another 4-1 series victory in the second roun
DENVER (AP) — As the shock of blowing their 20-point Game 7 lead settled in, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone repeated what had become somewhat of an underlying mantra for his talented but thinned team. “I consider the San Antonio Spurs a dynasty, and they never won back-to-back,” said Malone, saluting the franchise that won NBA titles every other year between 2003 and 2007. The Nuggets will have to try to follow that formula now that their quest to become the first repeat champion since Gold
Vincent Goodwill connects with Boston Globe's national NBA writer Gary Washburn to recap the wild weekend of playoff basketball and look ahead to the conference finals.
We break down the Eastern Conference finals matchup between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers, and make our prediction.