Celtics fall short, but know they are legitimate contenders

BOSTON -- Go ahead. Comfort the Boston Celtics in soothing, dulcet tones that there's no shame in losing to LeBron James: the greatest player in the game, a mammoth icon who played 48 minutes and demoralized his old familiar playoff foe in every possible way imaginable. Dagger 3's, vicious defense, superb court vision and, above all, a Hall of Fame swagger that nobody else on the court - or perhaps this earth? - could begin to duplicate.

Feel free to remind the Celtics that nobody - absolutely nobody - expected them to advance to the Eastern Conference finals with a roster decimated from the outset because of crippling injuries to Gordon Hayward, then Kyrie Irving, then Daniel Theis, then…