During the playing of the national anthem before their home opener against the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers are seen locking arms as a team.
The NBA is back and we have a great first game on our hands. It is a rematch of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. This game is taking place at the home of the three-time reigning Eastern Conference champion Cavaliers.
During the playing of the national anthem, the Cavaliers are seen linking arms in an act of unity. While kneeling, or not standing, for the national anthem is banned in the NBA, this act of linking arms seems to have landed better in the NFL. If it isn’t against the rules in the NBA, then this is fine.
This rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals is one of great intrigue. It’s not just because it is a rematch, but these two emerging rivals pulled off one of the strangest trades of the offseason to drastically alter their rosters.
Going to the Celtics was point guard Kyrie Irving. He apparently grew frustrated with playing next to LeBron James in Cleveland. Going the Cavaliers’ way was point guard Isaiah Thomas and small forward Jae Crowder among other things.
Could these two teams be on a collision course to meet again in the Eastern Conference playoffs? That looks to be the case. However, will that be in the conference semis or the finals? That really all depends on how the playoff seeding shakes out.
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Boston might have the higher seed, but Cleveland might have the upper hand in a best-of-seven series. That’s because the Cavaliers have James and the Celtics do not. It should still be a great series should they run into each other once again in the Eastern Conference playoffs.