The scary thing about Boston

When it comes to fans, most would agree that a lot of professional sports towns share something in common. Either you rabidly root for them -- or hate their guts. Boston is such a town. As is New York, Los Angeles, and no doubt Dallas.

But the Boston Celtics, those lovable (or hate-able) shamrock guys are doing something quite amazing these days.

They've advanced to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals and put a gawd-awful beat-down on the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game One. By any standards, a 25 point margin of victory is a blow-out.

True, in the first round of the playoffs the Milwaukee Bucks took those same Celtics to the full seven games, before Boston handily dispatched them in the finale.

And the Philadephia 76ers, a young and upcoming team, put up a valiant fight in Round Two, before succumbing. In a couple years, look out for Philly, if they can stay healthy -- no given -- and keep the team together.

Also true is few expect whoever comes out of the East, be it the Beaners or the Northeastern Buckeyes, to stand much of a chance against the winner of the Golden State/Houston match-up currently underway in the West. But ya never know. Stranger things have happened -- I think. Who saw the Eagles even getting to the Super Bowl last February, let alone taking the Patriots to the woodshed?

Thing is. the Boston Celtics are doing this while severely undermanned. As in missing their two best players -- namely Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving. The former an All-Star caliber center/forward -- big man -- and the latter arguably one of the best three point guards in the league. Throw in they're also playing without the services of lesser known Daniel Theis and Shane Larkin -- significant role players -- and they're down to an eight man rotation. And they blew out Lebron and Co. by 25?

It leaves one to wonder just how good the Celtics will be when the likes of Hayward, Irving, and Co. return to the line-up next year.

Yeah, I get it. Sometimes "chemistry" can be a tricky thing. Putting terrific players back into an already successful mix might just upset the proverbial apple cart.

But hey, if you're a Celtics fan, I'm guessing you'd be more than happy to take your chances WITH these guys than WITHOUT them.

And if ever there was a head coach that can make it work, it's whip-smart Brad Stevens. A brilliant hire by GM Danny Ainge.

Of course, time will tell, but the future of the Boston Celtics, again assuming they can stay healthy, would appear quite bright indeed.

Lebron is showing signs of his age in Cleveland. He's even admitted to being "burnt". And the rest of the team around him has been eroding. It's only a matter of time, likely not too long, before the Cavs go into a downward spiral

And yes, Golden State and Houston look to be formidable for the next few years, but only one of them can make it into the Finals every year. Maybe the Warriors will get complacent. Or the Rockets, which depend almost entirely on guard play from James Hardin and Chris Paul, and an offense that apparently has no set plays -- pretty much ad-lib street ball at its finest -- will finally be exposed for what they are. A stretch? Maybe.

But the Boston Celtics have been built to last. And they could be scary in the next few years.

Just sayin'......