How the Celtics find hope

Those who believe the Boston Celtics have a legitimate chance to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers will want to ignore ... well, a lot of things. Remembering the first round, where the Indiana Pacers outscored the Cavs by a couple dozen points over seven games and barely lost the series, is rather key, though.

The Toronto Raptors, as it were, could not match up against the Cavs like the Celtics can, the story goes. The Raptors had All-Stars, but perhaps not top-20 offensive players. They relied on depth and funky match-ups during the regular season, things less important in the playoffs. Their schemes were not so much aggressive as clean and powerful, and the lack of aggression -- especially on defense -- allowed LeBron James and the Cavs to get whatever they wanted. Boston would be more like Indiana, and less like Toronto.

You just have to ignore that Cleveland absolutely trucked Boston in the playoffs last season (albeit with a healthy Kyrie Irving on their side and a limping Isaiah Thomas on the other). You just have to ignore that Al Horford is 1-15 all-time in the playoffs against LeBron-led teams. You just have to ignore that the biggest difference between the Cavs in the first round and in the second is that the role players and Kevin Love all came alive.

You just have to ignore the fact that LeBron is playing better than any other soul in the NBA over the past month.

If you can ignore all that, sure, yes, you can believe Boston has a legitimate chance.

(Before you take the above too seriously, please recall that I have picked the Raptors to make the NBA Finals two straight years.)

Cavaliers at Celtics, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Series tied 0-0

The Raptors fired Dwane Casey on Friday despite a 59-win season. This seemed a little inevitable after a second straight sweep to the Cavaliers. (And it raises the question of how many coaches LeBron has gotten fired.) Here are seven options to replace Casey. Casey’s name has already popped up in at least one other coaching search (Milwaukee). His letter to Toronto was incredibly sweet.

Read Seerat Sohi’s flaming hot obituary on the Raptors season.

Terry Rozier has no fear. A crucial Scary Terry explainer from Paul Flannery.

I wrote about a key question floating around in my head: is LeBron benefiting from a weak East, or is he making the East look weak?

Lovely Alex Wong piece on what makes LeBron a great teammate.

The Hawks reportedly hired Philly assistant Lloyd Pierce as their new head coach. As with all assistant coaches who get hired on as head coaches, he is well-respected and liked by those who have worked with him.

Marcus Thompson II reports that Klay Thompson has been discussing a team-friendly, sub-max extension with the Warriors. Slicing about $10 million off of Thompson’s market value sure would help the sorta salary sensitive Warriors ownership keep the gang together.

John Gonzalez on the t making of Mo Bamba, one of the top NBA draft prospects. This prospect’s quirk -- they all have a quirk -- is chess.

The 16 best moments from the Sixers’ wonder season. Here’s Tyler Tynes on the Philly season where hope became real. And Kevin Arnovitz’s meditation on The Process and the future of Philly is excellent.

Brittney Griner notes how women’s basketball stars are treated in, uh, Russian leagues compared to, say, the WNBA. Griner compared playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg to playing in the NBA.

Here’s a horrifying thought experiment from the great Ben Golliver: what if LeBron hadn’t made it?

Zach Lowe’s Western Conference Finals preview, which I’m going to link here but not read until I finish writing my own.

Danny Chau on how Mike D’Antoni and the Rockets adapted Chris Paul’s old school point guard stylings to the modern era.

Word to Nick Collison, who retired after 15 years with one* franchise. Russell Westbrook’s statement on the retirement is too good.

Brilliant essay from Dan Devine on finding joy in the NBA beyond wins.

Game of Zones takes us to an island full of Van Gundys.

Inside the acrimonious 11-month period when Mike D’Antoni worked for Steve Kerr in Phoenix.

The next stop on the LaMelo Ball pre-college tour might be ... Poland.

And finally: Pau Gasol on the qualifications of Becky Hammon and the prospects of women coaching NBA players.

Be excellent to each other.