The Boston Celtics are coming off of maybe their finest win of the season, a 119-109 victory over the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder who have been absolutely wholesome for the primary time all yr. It’s only one sport, however the significance of the win can’t be overstated.
For starters, it exhibits that the Celtics can sustain with one of many Western Convention favorites to achieve, and even win the Finals. Assertion wins like this may go a good distance for a staff’s confidence heading into the playoffs. Together with that, the Knicks are scorching on Boston’s tail for the second seed, and holding off essentially the most tough remaining opponent after a disappointing loss to the Timberwolves provides the Celtics only a little bit of respiration room.
As issues at the moment stand, Boston is one sport forward of the Knicks for the second seed, with two much less video games within the loss column. If the 2 groups have been to finish up with the identical report by the tip of the common season, New York would earn the upper seed, having secured the tie-breaker by having a greater report in opposition to groups in the identical division. The Celtics and Knicks do face off in opposition to one another as soon as extra earlier than the season ends although, a sport which may create the separation Boston is searching for, or put New York in prime place to overhaul them.
Together with their race with the Knicks, the Celtics are additionally nonetheless technically in play for the perfect total report within the East, at the moment sitting 4.5 video games behind the Pistons. In actuality, it ought to be thought of a 5-game hole, for the reason that Pistons took the season collection 3 video games to 1. It’s going to be extraordinarily tough for Boston to make up that hole, however a chance nonetheless. The Cleveland Cavaliers sit 2.5 video games behind the Knicks, and 4 video games forward of the Hawks, so they may have a possibility to leap up if all goes their approach, however are in any other case doubtless going to finish because the 4th seed.
So, what ought to Celtics followers regulate in Boston’s remaining 10 video games of the common season?
Properly, there’s really fairly a bit to think about. Of the remaining video games, 9 of them are in opposition to Jap Convention opponents, the New Orleans Pelicans being the lone Western Convention competitor. Out of the eight East matchups, the Milwaukee Bucks are the one remaining opponent who appear to be on the outs for Play-In rivalry, sitting 9 video games behind the tenth seed Magic.
We’ve already talked about that one of many remaining matchups is in opposition to the Knicks, the perfect remaining staff that Boston will face on this remaining stretch. That also leaves 7 extra video games in opposition to potential playoff groups: the Atlanta Hawks (x2), Charlotte Hornets (x2), Miami Warmth, Toronto Raptors, and Orlando Magic.
These 5 groups are separated by at most 2 video games within the standings, and so they make up the 5-10 spots within the East, together with the seventh seed Sixers which the Celtics is not going to face once more this common season. Any single one in every of them might be Boston’s eventual first-round matchup within the playoffs, and the Celtics may closely affect their final touchdown spots given the upcoming schedule.
Right here’s the place every staff stands as of at this time:
fifth. Atlanta Hawks (1-1 vs Celtics, 41-32 total)
sixth. Toronto Raptors (0-3 vs Celtics, 40-32 total)
seventh. Philadelphia 76ers (2-2 vs Celtics, 40-33 total)
eighth. Orlando Magic (1-2 vs Celtics, 39-34 total)
ninth. Charlotte Hornets (1-0 vs Celtics, 39-34 total)
tenth. Miami Warmth (0-3 vs Celtics, 39-34 total)
If this have been to be how the season ended, Boston as the two seed would play the winner of the 7-8 Play-In matchup, that being between Philly and Orlando. These standings are very unstable, nonetheless. With the Celtics going through the Hawks twice within the subsequent three video games, Boston profitable each may drop Atlanta down into that seventh seed.
Equally, Boston has two video games in opposition to Charlotte arising. If the Hornets have been to win each, they may probably soar up the standings, once more making them a doable first spherical matchup for the Celtics assuming Boston nonetheless manages to keep up their very own spot because the 2nd seed.
With the data being so shut, each sport issues down this stretch for almost each remaining staff within the East. Boston has a slight benefit over the Knicks by having two much less losses. The Knicks even have some competitors of their remaining video games: the Thunder, Rockets, Hawks, Hornets (who they only misplaced to), Raptors, and us, after all.
Finally, it comes right down to the Celtics taking good care of their very own enterprise. Together with holding their spot within the standings, they’ll be searching for Jayson Tatum to maintain constructing rhythm, whereas additionally making an attempt to combine Nikola Vucevic again into the lineup as quickly as he returns from nursing the damaged finger he suffered earlier this month. Vuc is anticipated to be again earlier than the tip of the common season, although we don’t have an actual date but.
It’s vital to notice that Boston’s final two opponents are the Pelicans and the Magic. These two video games, may see plenty of the starters sitting to ensure they get to the playoffs as wholesome and rested as doable. Moreover, the Celtics have yet one more back-to-back, that coming in Charlotte and Atlanta on March twenty ninth and March thirtieth. We might very nicely see Jayson Tatum at minimal relaxation a type of nights, probably together with every other gamers who could also be feeling a bit banged up at this level of the season.
We did see a number of new gamers pop up on the harm report for Boston’s sport in opposition to Atlanta tonight. Jaylen Brown is questionable with calf tightness, Neemias Queta is questionable with a thumb sprain, and Derrick White is questionable with a bruised knee. This implies Boston may probably be with out three starters in a key matchup in opposition to a red-hot Hawks staff.
We don’t know the severity of those accidents, and it’s doable that JB, Neemi, and Derrick are simply due for some relaxation. Regardless, whoever performs for Boston may have to have the ability to execute in the event that they need to preserve their standings, on this sport, and each different for the remainder of the season.
