Celtics Take Huge Leap in Standings with Win Against 76ers

Video Recap 76ers 89 Celtics 108 –

Don’t look now, but with a commanding victory over the Philadelphia 76ers and some help from the Toronto Raptors taking down the Indiana Pacers, the Boston Celtics are not only tied for a playoff spot, but they are tied for the 7th seed. The Celtics went on to win their 5th straight game and despite losing their most impactful player in Isaiah Thomas, they are playing the best ball of their season.

The fight for the final two playoff spots in the East is going to be an absolute mess this year. With four teams either tied or within a half game of the 7th seed in the East, you can bet that the race is going down to the wire. The Celtics are going to have their work cut out for them; but as it stands right now, a night like tonight could be the difference between a postseason birth or a long summer off.

The Celtics did nothing too spectacular by beating the 76ers, who at no point looked even remotely competitive in the game. However, they did exactly what they needed to do against a team that starts Hollis Thompson…KICK THEIR YOU KNOW WHATS. The Celtics have been showing signs of a team that deserves one of the final playoff spots and if they keep up their play a favorable schedule will bring what many thought was a lost season into the postseason.

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The Celtics will have their work cut out for them in the next two games as they will have to contend with the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. While the Celtics may not be favored in those games, you can bet they will be competitive. The Celtics’ signature victory of the season came against the Grizzlies during this current stretch. They took down a team that stands above both the Thunder and the Spurs in the standings. And better yet they did it in impressive fashion with a clutch bucket from Avery Bradley –

Even if the Celtics struggle in their next two games, they will have a winnable stretch right after. Six of the next ten games for our Celtics will feature teams with records well below .500. What makes that stretch even more important is that their opponents will be full of Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls: Detroit, Brooklyn, Miami, Charlotte, Indiana, and Milwaukee.

All of those opponents are either right behind us or ahead of us in the playoff race! If we can win at least half of those games, we should have a legitimate chance at making the playoffs.

Mar 9, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) drives to the basket between Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley (30) and guard Shabazz Napier (13) in the second half at American Airlines Arena. The Celtics won 100-90. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

As good as the Celtics have been playing during their five game win streak, the return of Isaiah Thomas may be the difference maker against their top tier opponents. The Celtics are playing their best ball without the best player and with everyone figuring out their roles on the team, Thomas should be returning to a squad that is better than the one he left when he got injured. Get excited #CelticsNation!

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