So if you had to put a number on our chances...

[incoherent]

Almost no one here gives them better then half???

Come on guys... Cavs are going to have to play their brains out to beat us.

[ManchesterCelticsFan]

I'd say 50% chance. Cavs have the best player in the world right now and home-court advantage, while the Celtics have 4 of the 5 best players in this series.

I expect the Celtics to come out and give at least the "consistent, focused, and energetic effort" we've seen in the Miami series, probably more since they know the Cavs are a better team. If the Cavs beat the C's, its not because they slacked off during the regular season, its because they are a better team and would've beaten them anyways even if they won 66 games like in '08.

[twinbree]

If we play well and stay consistently focused and the refs are terrible but not exceedingly terrible with the 2 Sunday afternoon games including a possible game 7 I'd say 40% but since nothing about this bizarro season has been remotely logical I'll go with 60%.

[dark_lord]

50%

[MaxwellSmart86]

This series is on Rondo's shoulders...if he is AGGRESSIVE, it goes 7.

40% chance, cause we don't have home court advantage.

[Mr October]

If we give a consistent, focused, and energetic effort, I say we've got a 60% chance.

Overall, I'd say about a 30% chance, weighing everything.  Yet, strangely, I fully expect them to win (which, of course, is a massive contradiction.)

Yup my brain says 30%.... my heart/gut/ignorance/whatever it is says we're gonna take this thing too.

[j804]

70%

I like our chances, not scared of anyone of them as far as matchups go, or there former NOT coach of the year.

[Jon]

Better than 50% if they play at full speed, 35% if they play like they did in Miami, and a lot less if the play like they did the latter 2/3s of the season. 

However, let me also qualify this: if LeBron can't shoot and Pierce and TA can hang a few steps off him and dare him to shoot, the C's chances are probably something in the 80-90% range.  LeBron will be able to be guarded 1 on 1, and KG and Perk will be able to shut down Jamison and Shaq respectively. 

[celticinorlando]

35 percent

[mgent]

80%

When we play to our potential we're definitely better than the Cavs.

[Birdbrain]

I'm going with a 50%.  I think people underrate HOF talent.

[FatjohnReturns]

Almost no one here gives them better then half???

Come on guys... Cavs are going to have to play their brains out to beat us.

No they wont. Unfortunetly they have a better team. They are much deeper up front and we have no answer for Varejoe. 40% and I feel thats optimistic.

[rav123]

50.1%. I can't give my Cs less than more than a half-chance 

Just go for the right elbow  (I'm kiddding by the way. That's a dirty play, against the spirit of the game, ruins the series, reduces the aura of winning, sends the wrong message out to kids and may ruin the career of the future greatest-ever player)

But assessing it properly, I might say 50-50. Chicago played the Cavs really close, but it's not like they have any advantageous matchups over what we have. Plus, we're better, have more pride, look like we've flipped the switch, are as or more talented on paper, have more experience AND KG promised - KG never breaks his promises 

[PosImpos]

it's not like they have any advantageous matchups over what we have.

I agree with the spirit of what you're saying (the C's are a lot more talented) but the Celtics don't have anybody who can do what Joakim Noah does.  Rondo isn't nearly as talented a scorer as Rose is, either.

[indeedproceed]

I don't care. Odds are for gamblers...I'm just a humble fan, rationality and objectivity have no place while we're still alive in the playoffs. If I had to put a number on it, I'd say eleventeen.

EDIT: Also judging on all playoff series we've had with Cleveland since Garnett came to Boston...we're batting a hunnit.