The Celtics had a pretty good week to close out the regular season
A lot can happen to an NBA team in just one week, and the Boston Celtics are no exception. Here are all the most important things to happen in the last seven days. We’ve attempted to rank them from most relevant to least.
That #1 Spot
Boston’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday was enough to lock up the top playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. It was a somewhat unexpected ending to the season, at least compared to preseason expectations, and it’s reason for celebration. Finishing first in one’s conference is no small task. It should serve as validation for the players, coaches, and front office of a team that entered the year with a lot of variables in place.
Time will tell what the the Celtics will do with its number one seed, but their hard work during the regular season has put them in as strong a position as is imaginable entering the postseason. They’ll have home court advantage on their side against any Eastern foes they face, starting with the Chicago Bulls.
We’ll leave a more detailed breakdown of the matchup for another space, but suffice is to say the series should be an interesting, up-close look at a player many fans hoped would be playing for the Celtics this time of year, rather than against them. Stopping Jimmy Butler will be priority one, two, and three.
Encouraging Odds
The Nets officially secured the dubious distinction of the team with the league’s worst record over the weekend. That means the Celtics, who have the right to swap their own draft pick with Brooklyn, officially have the best odds at the first overall selection in the upcoming draft and a guaranteed top four pick.
This has been in the cards for a long time, but it’s worth noting now that it’s official. Exactly what Boston plans to do with the pick remains to be seen, and will likely won’t be determined until after the draft lottery. Whatever the decision, be it holding the pick to draft a young blue-chip talent or trading it to bring in a known commodity, the outcome is likely to be a pleasing one.
A Little Home Cooking
This update comes thanks to the incomparable Sean Grande, who tweeted out a list of the top all-time scorers at the T.D. Garden. Isaiah Thomas passed Avery Bradley this week to move into sixth position. It’s not a particularly pertinent bit of news, but it does allow for a healthy dose of nostalgia, as the other players on the list are Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, and Eric Williams.
Next: Celtics vs Bulls: Biggest Match Ups
The Kids Are Alright
The Maine Red Claws advanced to the D-League Eastern Conference Finals with a victory on Wednesday night. Their lineup is peppered with members of the Celtics youth movement, most notably recent draft picks Guerschon Yabusele, Abdel Nadar, and Demetrius Jackson. There is no guarantee that their success will translate to the next level, but wins are certainly more encouraging than losses.