Right now most of the talk in the Eastern Conference revolves around whether the Cleveland Cavaliers will make a third straight trip to the NBA Finals.
Sure, that’s fine. The Cavs have struggled with consistency at times, but they have been one of the top teams in the league. They are also the reigning NBA champions. And LeBron James is an MVP candidate once again, so of course all eyes will be on them. However, no one talks about the Boston Celtics. And that’s just flat-out wrong.
The C’s have battled against the Washington Wizards and the Toronto Raptors for the second place in the East, and so far they have been successful. In fact, Boston woke up as the top seed in the East on Wednesday thanks to a 48-26 mark so now Cleveland has all the pressure to storm back. If they lose their next game, then Boston will be in full control of their destiny to finish the season up top in the standings. But a win would put them with an equal record. Either way, that’s quite a success considering Boston’s and Cleveland’s rosters.
Let’s start with the Cavs. Their “Big Three” of LeBron, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love is easily one of the best in the league. But they also have incredible depth: Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, Channing Frye, Deron Williams, Larry Sanders… that’s a balanced, experienced roster. Finishing at the top of the Eastern Conference is almost an obligation for them.
On the other hand, Boston doesn’t have the same depth as Cleveland. They have a bonafide MVP candidate in Isaiah Thomas – who’s also been one of the best scorers in the league with an average of 29.1 points this season – but at times he lacks company. Al Horford has been a decent complement, but he’s not a game-changing player like Love or Irving. And if we see Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk, Jaylen Brown.. they are solid players. But they are not as experienced as the ones Cleveland have as depth.
There’s also Brad Stevens. The Celtics’ head coach has enjoyed a smooth transition to the NBA, and he’s already heralded as one of the best young coaches in the league. He’s been successful at the highest level, and he has been a big part of Boston’s success so far. Will he manage to make adjustments come playoff time? It’s hard to tell, but the smart money is on him.
Even momentum is on Boston’s side – they are riding a four-game winning streak, while Cleveland are riding a two-game losing streak. That’s a pretty small sample size, but it might be a sign of things to come. Boston is heating up at the right game. And every season we witness teams who make an impact in the postseason solely because they got hot at the right moment.
Based on recent history, their roster and their status are the current NBA champions, all eyes will be on the Cavaliers. But it’s time the league – and its fans – start taking a closer look to what Boston has done. They are having an impressive season, and they need to be considered as title favorites. After all, we are only a few weeks away from the start of the playoffs. And they have plenty left in the tank to battle when it will matter the most.