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Boston Celtics Putting the League on Notice

By Joshua Bateman

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - NOVEMBER 3: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics goes to the basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 3, 2017 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - NOVEMBER 3: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics goes to the basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 3, 2017 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Boston Celtics are proving they need to be taken seriously by the NBA

The Boston Celtics just captured their seventh straight victory, and are looking like more than just the best team in the Eastern Conference now. Nobody was expecting the Celtics to bounce back this quickly, and nobody wants to be playing them right now.

That seventh straight win against the Oklahoma City Thunder could also be their most impressive. In the first half, it looked like they finally came back down to earth. They were up against their top opponent of the season, and their top talent simply was not doing enough to keep up with that Thunder big three.

The Celtics were down by as many as 18 points, but that did not matter. The Celtics held their own, and got back into the game with defense. Then it was the Al Horford and Kyrie Irving show, who made it clear that they can go out there and beat some of the best talent in the NBA.

The Celtics have shown that they will blow the lesser teams out, they have proven that they can struggle and then close the game out with clutch play, and now they are showing you that no lead is safe in any situation.

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A lot of things have been going right on this win streak, but the most impressive part of it is how many bad things they are overcoming. The Celtics are showing the league that you cannot depend on your raw talent to beat them, and if you leave any opening they will seize it.

The Celtics are cementing themselves as the best defensive team in the NBA, while making strides on offense every single game. It is remarkable how quickly Horford and Kyrie have settled into a two man game that is as unstoppable as anything in the NBA, and that is just one part.

The Celtics are the hottest team to start out the NBA season, and they still have some of the most room to improve. Brad Stevens is showing everyone what happens when he gets the elite talent that has been missing, while still getting more effort and hustle plays than anyone else in the league.

With the Cavaliers struggling to figure things out, the Celtics are looking like they could run away with the top seed in the East, and everyone else is playing catch with a team that is no where near a finished product.

In fact, the Thunder game was just the first time the Celtics were at full strength this season, and Marcus Morris was no where near as involved as he can be once he gets more settled.

Things are coming together a lot quicker than expected for the Celtics, and with how many more ways they can still improve, we may have underestimated the true ceiling of this team.

Of course, there is the small sample size issue, but this does not look like a fluke. The Celtics are one of the best rebounding teams in the league, and are crushing teams in the paint. The Celtics have not been winning because of some fluky shooting, and their ball movement is still leaving a lot to be desired.

It is not as if Irving has been scoring at an unsustainable rate, or Horford has been playing far beyond what can be expected of him.

The one area the Celtics may still see a drop is in the youth. They have three rookies and Jaylen Brown all playing phenomenally, and some regression could be inevitable there.

The flip side is that they all still have room to improve as well, and how they develop throughout the season will have a huge impact on their overall outlook.

The Celtics started this road trip knowing they needed to build on their great second week of the season, in order to prove that those first two games were the fluke. The Celtics took the little time they needed to accept their devastating loss, and now they are embracing every bit of talent that is still on the roster.

Next: Is Celtics Defense Legit?

Chances are some of the other elite teams will catch up as the season goes on, but the Celtics are looking like the most clutch and most balanced team in the NBA, and everyone needs to be taking them seriously.

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