Victory or Defeat in Game 7, the Boston Celtics have already won

Celtics vs Cavaliers marks something bigger than the Eastern Conference Finals

The Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers will face off in a game 7 of epic proportions on Sunday, as both franchises will battle with a chance to head to the NBA Finals.

For the Cavaliers, this would mark their fourth straight appearance, and a chance to add to LeBron James‘ legacy as a Cavalier and an all-time great. The Celtics meanwhile, are looking to make their first finals appearance since 2010.

It’s been a rocky season for both teams, but the Celtics will have the upper hand as they will be able to feed off of the crowd that has given them an undefeated record at home during the 2018 playoffs.

One man that has helped the Celtics in the absence of an All-NBA talent like Kyrie Irving is Terry Rozier. Rozier finished with 28 points and 7 assists while shooting 63 percent from the field. His undeniably confident attitude was in full display after the Celtics’ close loss in Game 6.

But throughout this whole series, the NBA has learned one very important detail: The Celtics are turning the page in LeBron’s reign in the East.

More from Hardwood Houdini

• Boston Celtics’ two-way contract decision will be made after training camp
• Proposed trade sends Boston Celtics playoff killer to the Cs from rival
• ‘Face of Germany’s stunning run’ in FIBA World Cup not the only ex-Boston Celtics player to win gold
• Proposed Boston Celtics trade target pitched for reunion with fired coach
• Battle For Banner 18: Will Boston Celtics battle historical foe in 2024 Finals?

Even if Boston loses in a Game 7 that will have LeBron going to his eight straight finals appearance, the C’s will have two All-Stars integrated back into this incredibly balanced roster during the summer.

This influx of talent likely means LeBron will be jumping ship, heading to a powerhouse like the Houston Rockets in order to solidify his chances of a championship run yet again.

With that being said, there’s no reason the Celtics can’t begin their dominance of the East this year.

Jayson Tatum has scored at unprecedented levels, showing a level of maturity and poise the Celtics haven’t seen since Paul Pierce. In his first appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals ever, Tatum has averaged 17 ppg and 4 rpg on 48 percent shooting.

His knack for showing up in big moments has been tremendously helpful for a team that has lacked a scoring punch in recent years, and he’s earned some hefty praise from a number of different NBA greats (including LeBron James).

"“I think his composure (is impressive), he plays above his age,” LeBron said of Tatum. “I think the unfortunate events of the injuries that they’ve had have allowed him to, I believe, get better faster than I believe they expected here. Because it’s given him an opportunity to make fail plays or make mistakes and learn from them and still be on the floor. His talent, his composure, where he comes from has allowed him to be successful so he’s a very, very, very good player already and he definitely at this pace can become a great player.”"

Brown, meanwhile, is an NBA intellectual employing a fearless attitude that the Celtics need on the defensive end. His improvement over the course of just one season is astounding, and his defensive presence will largely dictate the Celtics’ fate tonight.

For the Celtics to win and advance, however, they must look for a combined effort from their young stars and their experienced veterans. Terry Rozier knows what it will take to beat a walking legend like LeBron James.

Next: Boston must contain Cleveland's role players?

“We need the whole city of Boston to be behind us. We know LeBron is different than a lot of other guys. We’ve got to get the job done.”