The Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder have been the consensus championship favorites for basically the entire 2024-25 season. Naturally, all three lost Game 1 of their respective second-round series and have already given home-court advantage to their lower-seeded opponents.
It’s deeply refreshing to watch other teams melt down in the playoffs for a change. But beyond the schadenfreude, the results of this round could have massive offseason implications for the Sixers and the rest of the league.
The Celtics are already hurdling toward the NBA’s first $500 million roster next year.