Stephen A. Smith picks between Cleveland Cavaliers or Boston Celtics as top team in Eastern Conference, has two reasons

The Cleveland Cavaliers became the first Eastern Conference team to punch their ticket to the second round after completing a ruthless 4-0 sweep of the Miami Heat. Their series-clinching 138-83 victory–a staggering 55-point demolition –has firmly established them as legitimate contenders. Stephen A.

Smith says Cleveland Cavaliers have the size, athleticism, rebounders, and defense to win NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith placed the Cavaliers as his top team in the East, citing their comprehensive roster construction rather than just their first-round dominance. Smith believes Cleveland Cavaliers possesses the most complete team in the conference, with players who excel collectively on both ends of the floor.



“When you look at Cleveland, everything that they have is Donovan Mitchell , DeAndre Hunter key acquisition,” Smith explained. “And then you look at Jarrett Allen, and then [Evan] Mobley and they got size, they got athleticism, they got rebounders, they got defenders.” This balanced attack was on full display throughout their dismantling of Miami, with multiple players stepping up in different games while maintaining a suffocating defensive presence led by Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley .

Stephen A. Smith also believes health advantage can be Cleveland’s secret weapon Beyond their talent and versatility, Smith emphasized another crucial factor working in Cleveland’s favor–their clean bill of health compared to their chief competitors. “And all them [Cavaliers’ stars] are healthy, unlike Boston with Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday, both a bit injured right now, playing through some things.

That’s why I got Cleveland number one,” Smith reasoned. The Celtics , widely considered preseason favorites, are dealing with nagging injuries to key players. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks have lost star point guard Damian Lillard for the remainder of the playoffs, effectively removing another potential obstacle from Cleveland’s path.

This marks a dramatic reversal from last season when the Cavaliers fell to the Celtics in the conference semifinals. With the playoff bracket potentially keeping these teams apart until the Conference Finals, Cleveland has an opportunity to build momentum and potentially prove Smith’s bold prediction correct. This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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