"Don't play with your food" is the phrase that comes to mind, but the 2023 NBA Playoffs evolved beyond that saying on Wednesday. The East's opening round has been sheer chaos.
The up-and-coming Cavs? No match for the in-your-face Knicks. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the top-seeded Bucks? Embarrassed in OT to lose the series in five games to Miami — the same team that lost to the Hawks to start the play-in tournament.
Does that mean the C's should be overly worried about the Hawks after dropping Game 5? No, but they do need to go all out from start to finish. Don't pull starters or key reserves early. Don't let Trae Young get hot. Simply put, do not take them lightly — but all of Boston already knew this after that gross Game 5 collapse.
If there's one thing the Celtics have to take from Milwaukee's upset, it's that the Eastern Conference will not be won on skill alone.
As much as the Heat were beneficiaries of an injury to Antetokounmpo early in the series, they fought tooth and nail to earn that gentleman's sweep. And while another Donovan Mitchell-led team failed to put up a real fight in the postseason, the Knicks' smashmouth approach didn't allow Cleveland the opportunity to regroup.
While Atlanta has fought hard, the Celtics should end this opening-round matchup Thursday. The Hawks can't seize the series like the Knicks or Miami — they just don't have the same approach. Boston would have to give the series away for Atlanta to advance. And while the 76ers will be a challenge battle, especially if Joel Embiid can get up to at least 75% with that LCL injury — which is a still a significant ask of the big man — whichever team comes out of the other side of the East bracket is going to be a bully throughout the Conference Finals.
No reason to waste time embracing how the road ahead has been altered.
