Tonight Is Day 2 Of The Eastern Conference Semi-Finals Preview Featuring The Cavs And Sixers

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Gone are the days of teams coasting into the All-Star break. At least for this season. I mean after all, it is in Salt Lake City and who the hell would be looking ahead to that? Last night we saw a banger of a game between the 1 and 2 seeds in the East with Jrue Holiday going for 40 in the Bucks overtime win.

Celtics Twitter was melting down as that game slipped away and as a Cavs fan I couldn't help but sit back and enjoy the show. Especially since I know tonight us Cavs fans could be feeling that same way. Or Donovan Mitchell and the boys could have us feeling on top of the world - and on top of Philly - heading into the break.

The Cavs have the easiest schedule in the East the rest of the way, which includes eight games against the Rockets, Pistons, Hornets, and Magic, who are all actively tanking their dicks off trying to get Victor Wembanyama. 

So even if the Cavs lose this game they still have a great shot at securing the third seed. But tonight means more than that for the young Cavs who still have to prove they belong with the big dogs when postseason play starts. Last season they suffered multiple injuries down the stretch and faded out of the play-in tournament with barely a whimper. 

This season, however, they are a team with a purpose led by Mitchell's massive chip on his shoulder. His edge and attitude has rubbed off on this group of young nerds (and I mean that in the nicest way possible). And since Mitchell tried to Greco-Roman wrestle Dillon Brooks for pulling the ultimate bitch move and hitting him in the family jewels, they have playing with some serious dawg in them. Since that game they have won seven straight including a grueling five games in seven days stretch. 

The Sixers on the other hand are a veteran-laden team who have been playing really well themsleves. Winners of seven of their last 10, they know the Cavs are coming to Philly and looking to make a statement. Embiid is questionable for tonight but seeing as how he is just 5 points away from 10,000 for his career you have to think he will give it a go. As much for playing spoiler to the young Cavs as the milestone.

It's going to be really hard not to overreact to this game no matter which side you are on. The Cavs made Embiid look about as pedestrian as you can when they matched up back in November. He went just 6 for 16 from the field for 19 points. But this is a different Sixers team than the one the Cavs bitch slapped by nearly 30 back then. This Philly team looks like a legit title contender.

For the Cavs, if they lose this game there will be a lot of talk about feasting on a light schedule the past few weeks and whether or not they are ready to complete with the big boys. And with eight days between games that talk will grow really loud and annoying.

Either way I'm hyped for tonight as it should have some real Eastern Conference Semi-Finals vibes. So for today its fuck Rocky, fuck cheesesteaks, fuck Rone, fuck Kate, and fuck all those Philly scumbags. 

May the best team win. Unless that team is Philly. Then I'll just say this was a trap game for the Cavs because they're so damn excited to hang out with Mormons.