The Boston Celtics won their fourth straight game last night, hanging 134 (season high) on the Charlotte Hornets, including 34 points from Kyrie Irving. Boston sits a half a game behind the Raptors for first place in the East and looks poised to overtake Toronto for the first seed come April.
Last season, the Celts went into the playoffs with the first seed, but everyone in the world knew they were overrated. Although they handled the Bulls (thanks to a Rajon Rondo injury) and Wizards in the first and second round, they got nearly swept by the Cavs in the Conference Finals. However, this year’s Celtics are a completely different team. Not only that, but the Celtics look like they're playing much better basketball after the All Star Break.
Boston hasn’t lost since before the break, when they went into a bit of a losing skid––including a 22 point loss to the Cavaliers and 20 point defeat at the hands of the first seeded Raptors.
So, what’s changed for the Celtics since the All Star Break?
“Just our focus level. Getting everybody back. Just knowing what we’re trying to get ready for.” (Kyrie Irving, ESPN)
In terms of getting “everybody back,” the Celtics were without point guard Marcus Smart, who missed 11 games before the break after punching a picture frame. Marcus Smart might not be the best shooter in the NBA––he’s actually one of the worst––but he’s certainly a defensive anchor on this team, so having Smart back in the lineup allows Kyrie to focus more on scoring the ball.
If the Celtics want to make a run at the first seed, now’s their chance. Sure, the Raptors are hot (they’ve won 9 of their last 10), but they’re bound to cool down soon. That’s when the C’s need to pounce. If Boston goes into the playoffs with the first seed this year, not only are they a better team top-to-bottom than last season, but they also won’t have to face either the Raptors or the Cavs until the Conference Finals.
If the NBA playoffs started today, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference would have home court against the Miami Heat, then the winner of the series between the Wizards and the Pacers, and then likely Cleveland or Toronto. I like those odds if I’m a fan of the one seeded team, and especially if I’m a Celtics fan.
As always, the Cavs scare me most in the Eastern Conference Finals. That said, I think this Cavs team is significantly worse than last year’s team. LeBron’s current roster has the least star power of all the teams he’s been on, and while this current Cavs team is continuing to win, they’re clearly riding a “honeymoon phase” that’s going to end as soon as the players realize they hate playing with LeDiva––shouldn't be long.
(Photo via Brian Babineau/Getty Images)
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