It is no secret that Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James had his way with the Toronto Raptors in the Conference Semifinal Round. One player who has not been shy about voicing his opinion on the Raptors' defenses of James is Boston Celtics power forward Marcus Morris.

There were a number of issues that factored into Toronto's inability to contain James. However, according to Jay King of The Athletic, Morris feels their lack of physicality was their biggest mistake:

“I think in the Toronto series, no disrespect to them, but watching film it just looked very easy at times. … There was no help, I didn’t see no physicality. I didn’t see any of that. I think that’s something different we’ll bring to the table.”

Article Continues Below
More Boston Celtics News
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) controls the ball while New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) defends in the second half during game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden.
Celtics rumors: Boston’s stance on trading Jrue Holiday after failed NBA title defenseDavid Yapkowitz ·
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) looks to pass in the second half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum issues 7-word message on Achilles injury rehabDaniel Donabedian ·
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots the ball as New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) defends in the second half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden.
Shaquille O’Neal throws shade at Celtics’ Jayson Tatum’s HOF credentialsZachary Howell ·
Jaylen Brown photoshopped in Spurs jersey
Spurs’ trade proposal for Jaylen Brown if Celtics blow it upBailey Bassett ·
Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (middle left) and forward Tari Eason (middle right) hold towels on their faces during game seven of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center.
NBA rumors: Rockets ‘anticipating’ Celtics trade talksDavid Yapkowitz ·
image thumbnail
Celtics rumors: Will Boston target rising center prospect in NBA Draft?Owen Crisafulli ·

Needless to say, there is plenty of truth to Morris' comments. When he is not selling a foul, James is one of the most physical players in the league. It certainly showed up on the stat sheet as he averaged 34.0 points, 11.3 assists, and 8.3 rebounds per game in the series against Toronto.

However, it appears Morris is optimistic about Boston's chances against James. This is encouraging since he will likely be the one that guards him most of the time. That said, Morris will need every advantage he can get when it comes to defending James.

Fortunately, he will have plenty of help around him as the Celtics have proven to be one of the best defensive teams in the NBA all year long. Of course, there is no way to stop James completely. Teams can only hope to contain him. However, if Morris' strategy is able to throw him off his game in the slightest, it could go a long way for Boston's chances in this series.