New Playoff Seeding Could Hurt the Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics may have just lost their best shot at home court advantage in the playoffs after the NBA decided to base playoff seeding completely on record, regardless of position in their division. The east is getting a lot stronger and there is a good chance that there will be 4 other teams in the east that are better than the Toronto Raptors.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to stay at the top and the Atlanta Hawks should be able to pick up from last season. The Chicago Bulls remain one of the more talented teams with a healthy Rose and the Miami Heat should be the most improved team in the league next year.

Mar 18, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh cheers in the second half of a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 108-104. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

With the original seeding the Celtics could have a worse record than all of those teams but they could still get the higher seed if they just won the division.

The Nets, Knicks and 76ers are all likely to remain non factors for the top of the east standings and that could have left just the Raptors in the way of the Celtics hosting a playoff series.

The Raptors are certainly going into the season as favourites to win the division, but the Celtics have an opportunity to catch them this year. The Celtics should be improved on both ends of the court and with the Raptors losing key contributors in Amir Johnson and Lou Williams, the addition of DeMarre Carroll may not be enough to maintain them.

Now, beating the Raptors may not be enough. The top of the east is going to be a lot stronger and deeper than it was last year and both the Washington Wizards and the Indiana Pacers could be on the fringe of contending.

The Celtics will have to blow away all expectations if they are going to have a top 4 overall record in the east. The Celtics made the playoffs but they finished last season under .500 and they never managed to land their big name free agent target.

The Celtics will be more developed in all phases and with how young the entire franchise has become they have plenty of room for improvement. The offseason additions in Lee and Johnson will also help push the Celtics and if the rookies can be contributors then they will be giving the Raptors a lot of problems.

December 3, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Toronto Raptors power forward Amir Johnson (15) shoots the basketball against Golden State Warriors power forward David Lee (10) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

If things go as expected for the Celtics, there is a good chance that the new format will be irrelevant. While there are many optimists that believe the Celtics have a shot at winning the division, the more likely reality is that they will be battling for one of the final playoff positions.

The Celtics are improve but so is the rest of the east, including many teams like the Heat, the Pacers and the Bucks who were battling the Celtics last season.

Finishing under .500 is going to be unacceptable this season and the return of Bosh and George alone should prevent a team making it with such a weak record.

The east is improving as the Celtics are improving and even though this new system puts the Celtics further away from contending for home court advantage in the playoffs, it has no impact on the progress they have made and the chances they have at making it in as a 6 or lower seed, which is more closer to reality than a 4 or higher seed.

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