ESPN - Summer Forecast - East Champs

[Moranis]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20332565/2017-summer-forecast-eastern-conference-champions

44 ESPN persons voted for their top 3 with 5, 3, 1 points.  Cavs 200, Celtics 143, Wizards 33, Raptors 10, Bucks 9, Heat 1.    Cavs got 34 first place votes with the Celtics getting the other 10.  Cavs were 2nd on all 10 of the Celtics' 1st place votes, however Boston was not 1st or 2nd on a number of panelists votes (full breakdown isn't available).   

[celticsclay]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20332565/2017-summer-forecast-eastern-conference-champions

44 ESPN persons voted for their top 3 with 5, 3, 1 points.  Cavs 200, Celtics 134, Wizards 33, Raptors 10, Bucks 9, Heat 1.    Cavs got 34 first place votes with the Celtics getting the other 10.  Cavs were 2nd on all 10 of the Celtics' 1st place votes, however Boston was not 1st or 2nd on a number of panelists votes (full breakdown isn't available).   

I wish they would have waited to come out with this until the Cavs resolved their Irving situation (or through some crazy miracle he is still there in the fall). Right now it is pretty pointless.

[Big333223]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20332565/2017-summer-forecast-eastern-conference-champions

44 ESPN persons voted for their top 3 with 5, 3, 1 points.  Cavs 200, Celtics 134, Wizards 33, Raptors 10, Bucks 9, Heat 1.    Cavs got 34 first place votes with the Celtics getting the other 10.  Cavs were 2nd on all 10 of the Celtics' 1st place votes, however Boston was not 1st or 2nd on a number of panelists votes (full breakdown isn't available).   

I wish they would have waited to come out with this until the Cavs resolved their Irving situation (or through some crazy miracle he is still there in the fall). Right now it is pretty pointless.

This is true.

Still, it's nice that the Celtics are the only other team to get a first place vote in this.

[mef730]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20332565/2017-summer-forecast-eastern-conference-champions

44 ESPN persons voted for their top 3 with 5, 3, 1 points.  Cavs 200, Celtics 134, Wizards 33, Raptors 10, Bucks 9, Heat 1.    Cavs got 34 first place votes with the Celtics getting the other 10.  Cavs were 2nd on all 10 of the Celtics' 1st place votes, however Boston was not 1st or 2nd on a number of panelists votes (full breakdown isn't available).   

I wish they would have waited to come out with this until the Cavs resolved their Irving situation (or through some crazy miracle he is still there in the fall). Right now it is pretty pointless.

True, but now if the Cavs do something with Irving, they get to write three more pieces about the effects of the Irving trade on the ECF.

ESPN: All about generating future clicks.

Mike

[Moranis]

it is a summer forecast of which they have been doing all sorts of things (like the rookies, the biggest/worst acquisitions, etc.).  I'm sure they will do one of these again at some point in the pre-season before the regular season starts.  They will then do one at some point midseason (usually right after trade deadline).  Then another one before the playoffs.  They have to do something to keep people interested in sports they cover during the off season and then get people excited for the next part of the season.

[TheSundanceKid]

I think the main positive from this is it shows we are considered the clearest contender to the Cavs this year. Last year we were getting a lot of disrespect in that regard, even throughout the EC semis against Washington. The addition of Hayward seems to have brought the media around to what we already knew.

[GC003332]

The Celtics received 143 points in the voting not 134 like the OP has written.

[chilidawg]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20332565/2017-summer-forecast-eastern-conference-champions

44 ESPN persons voted for their top 3 with 5, 3, 1 points.  Cavs 200, Celtics 134, Wizards 33, Raptors 10, Bucks 9, Heat 1.    Cavs got 34 first place votes with the Celtics getting the other 10.  Cavs were 2nd on all 10 of the Celtics' 1st place votes, however Boston was not 1st or 2nd on a number of panelists votes (full breakdown isn't available).   

I wish they would have waited to come out with this until the Cavs resolved their Irving situation (or through some crazy miracle he is still there in the fall). Right now it is pretty pointless.

These things are pointless regardless.

[PhoSita]

The Cavs coasted last year big time and I don't expect this year to be any different, especially with the Irving drama still simmering.

Meanwhile the Celts have more firepower than last year to help them through the mid-season doldrums.

[Moranis]

The Celtics received 143 points in the voting not 134 like the OP has written.

sorry I transposed them.  I have corrected it.