The Boston Celtics’ quest to raise banner number 18 will go through a host of superstars. Where do the C’s own stars stack up against the Eastern Conference’s elite?
While the Boston Celtics and the other eligible 21 teams gear up for the upcoming resumption of NBA action on July 30th, we fans are filling the time from now until then by reading all we can about our favorite teams and players.
Whats made this task easy, especially as of late, has been Bleacher Report’s most recent article ranking the top-100 players in the association. With this, our minds have begun to wander.
Wander towards thoughts of agreement; thoughts of dispute; and, in some cases, thoughts of absolute disdain.
Either way, however, it’s undeniable that this publication — as lists such as this typically do — has left us sports fans completely entertained.
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To no one’s surprise, the Boston Celtics’ core-five of Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, and Marcus Smart all made their way onto the list, and the writers Andy Bailey and Dan Favale spoke glowingly about each one of them.
For the most part, their analysis for every player included on this list was completely sound. Unfortunately, when it comes to where some of these players fell in the rankings, that is where we seem to have our biggest gripe, specifically when it comes to those ranked inside the Eastern Conference’s top-10.
Because of this, we’ve decided to take the liberty of re-ranking some of those who fall within the upper echelon of the east’s talent pool.
Read on to see who makes our list, and where they find themselves ranked:
No. 10) Kyle Lowry
Though many people tend to find enjoyment out of writing off Kyle Lowry as an “overrated” player (let alone point guard) we kind of agree with Bailey and Favale on this one — we believe, in some aspects, the veteran’s production tends to be underrated.
Described in the article as an “offensive chameleon”, the 33-year-old has always been willing to fill whatever role he’s needed to in order to help better the team. For the majority of his time in Toronto, its been playing second-fiddle to the likes of DeMar DeRozan and of course, last season, Kawhi Leonard.
Now, running alongside rising star Pascal Siakam, he has taken on more of a scoring load than ever before and, in the process, is thriving. Averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game on 35 percent shooting from deep, Lowry has easily been one of the main contributors in the defending champions accumulating a record of 46-18 (second-best in the east, third-best in the NBA).
From his sound offensive production to his scrappy defensive tenacity, all season long the 6x All-Star has made the Toronto Raptors a true force to be reckoned with and has been massive in the development of Siakam.
No. 9) Bam Adebayo
In year three, Bam Adebayo has made serious strides in his development and, in turn, finds himself as the likely recipient to take home the league’s Most Improved Player award come the climax of 2019-20.
Upping his numbers virtually all across the board, the 22-year-old finds himself averaging 16.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game on 57 percent shooting from the floor. With his play, Adebayo earned himself an All-Star nod and now has the stigma of being both one of the elite defenders in the association (can seemingly guard every position without any hesitation) as well as one of the game’s best young stars.
Should he add a consistent 15-22 foot jumper to his game, we could easily see the Miami Heat star rise within the conference standings in a few years time. As of now, however, of those in the east heading to the Disney bubble, we feel it’s fitting to rank him at ninth overall.
I know some people might have a problem with this, but that’s just how we feel.
No. 8) Khris Middleton
The narrative of Khris Middleton being better than Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has gone on far enough!
While we acknowledge the forward is an extremely talented player in the league — clearly, as he’s a multiple-time All-Star selection –, we just don’t think it’s right to put his name above Tatum in such power-rankings or, frankly, as high as Bleacher Report did. While we can have a very long conversation about why we feel this way (a future article idea?), we’re here to talk solely about Middleton and his own production from the season which, undoubtedly, has been impressive.
Averaging 21.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists on 50 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent shooting from deep, Middleton has proven to be the perfect Robin to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Batman with the Milwaukee Bucks.
His shooting efficiency is rivaled by few others, and his distribution skills are truly an underrated attribute of his game.
Though Giannis is what makes the Bucks absolutely lethal, it is Middleton’s play alongside him that makes them an unquestionable favorite to win it all this season.
No. 7) Ben Simmons
With a jump shot, Ben Simmons is probably a top-10 player in the entire NBA, let alone his respective conference. Without one, however, he ranks in at seventh best out east, which is by no means a slight.
Built like a power-forward with the skill-set of a point guard, Simmons truly is a special breed of player. Boasting averages of 16.7 points, 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game on an impressive 59 percent shooting from the floor, the 23-year-old obviously has not let his scoring shortcomings hinder him too much (in the 93rd percentile of players finishing at the rim), and remains one of the best passers and, arguably more important, defenders in the entire league.
As Bailey and Favale said in their article:
"Nobody in the league qualifies as a more versatile defender. Simmons has spent at least 17 percent of his time guarding every position on the floor, save for center, according to Nylon Calculus’ Krishna Narsu. And among every player who has logged at least 1,000 minutes, only Terrance Ferguson and Royce O’Neale have racked up more reps against No. 1 options."
Again, if he were to add a jumper to his game, Ben Simmons would more than likely be a top-10 player in the league. Perhaps, in time it will come. As of now, however, this is where he will stand.
No. 6) Kemba Walker
A list of the top-10 players in the conference is clearly not complete without the inclusion of the starting guard for the east during this year’s All-Star game — his second consecutive start.
Replacing another perennial All-Star for the Boston Celtics at the same position, Kemba Walker has made the transition seamless and, in turn, had the shamrocks even better positioned during the regular season once the time of the COVID-19 induced hiatus rolled around, as they were on pace to eclipse their record from the previous campaign.
Though the Cs appeared to stagnate with Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker has allowed the team’s talented youngsters of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to reach heights that, based off their 2018-19 performances, were arguably — and, of course wrongly — once in question.
Per 100 possessions, with him on the floor, the Boston Celtics are scoring a team-high 7.6 more points per game and are easily a much more sound overall unit than when he is sidelined and replaced by primary backup Brad Wanamaker.
Boasting the highest box plus/minus of his career (4.7), Walker is in the midst of arguably his best season as a pro and has proved invaluable to the success and development of this team.
A scorer from all areas on the court, including at the rim (shoots 61 percent from this area despite being just six-feet tall), opposing team defenses will undoubtedly have their work cut out for them when trying to guard the star point guard come the postseason.
Add in the ample time he’s had to heal from his nagging knee injury from this season, and the Disney bubble in for a world of trouble.
No. 5) Pascal Siakam
The leaps and bounds Pascal Siakam’s game has partaken in over his four-year career has been truly astonishing. Selected third to last in the 2016 NBA Draft, the wing was seen as a passion project for the Toronto Raptors to help mold over the early stages of his career and, in turn, develop into a serviceable all-around player.
Develop he did!
Currently in the midst of a career year, the reigning Most Improved Player is finding himself serving as the Toronto Raptors’ number one option and, in turn, is absolutely thriving. Through 53 outings, Siakam has managed to put up career averages of 23.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, one steal, and just shy of a block per game on 46 percent shooting from the floor and 36 percent shooting from deep.
Exceptional on both offense and defense, Pascal Siakam has become an All-Star and the go-to guy for the 46-18 defending champions.
The frightening part is, he’s only 25-years-old and has managed to improve in essentially every area of his game every single season.
No. 4) Jimmy Butler
Playing in his first season down in South Beach, Jimmy Butler finds himself in the midst of his best season as a pro baller. While the 5x All-Star easily had made a name for himself as one of the best talents the league had to offer coming into the year, 2019-20 has proven him to be just as good of a leader as he is a player.
Joining a team that had mustered a sub-.500 record from the season prior that, ultimately, ended in a postseason-less campaign, the small forward stepped in and galvanized this young roster right from the get-go. By the time of the season’s suspension, the Miami Heat boasted a record of 41-24 (third-best home record of 27-5), good enough for fourth in the Eastern Conference, eighth-best in the NBA and are officially clinched for a go at this year’s postseason heading into the Disney bubble.
On the year, the star forward sees himself posting stellar averages of 20.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game on 45 percent shooting from the field.
Though he has struggled mightily from long range this season (25 percent shooting), his penetration to the rim has allowed for far easier kick-out opportunities for his teammates on the perimeter (hence why he’s averaging a career-high in assists) and, thus, has been a huge factor in the team’s league-leading 3-point percentage (38 percent).
Proving to thrive alongside the likes of rising star Bam Adebayo, Butler has been the driving force for this Heat team all season and, in turn, makes them a true dark-horse contender heading into the postseason.
Though he’s ranked fourth on this list, his numbers and, more importantly, leadership skills should certainly warrant him a few nods during MVP voting season.
No. 3) Jayson Tatum
Following a relatively underwhelming 2018-19 campaign that many deemed somewhat of a “sophomore slump” — 15.7 points, six rebounds on 45 percent shooting from the floor — the 22-year-old has shown to the masses that, not only does he have what it takes to be one of the game’s best players but, to some, is already capable of being the “best player on a championship-caliber team.”
Through 59 games played in 2019-20, Tatum managed to post-career numbers seemingly all across the board, stuffing the stat sheet with 23.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and just shy of a block per game on 45 percent shooting from the floor and 40 percent shooting from deep.
Behind his excellence, the Boston Celtics were able to accumulate a stellar record of 43-21, good enough for third-best in the Eastern Conference, fifth-best in the entire association, had the team headed to their sixth-straight postseason appearance (clinched a berth on March 10th), and was selected to his first (of what should be many) All-Star game.
Going toe-to-toe with the likes of current NBA stars of the same, or similar position such as LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George (we all remember that filthy crossover, right?) and finding ways to have his team come out on top with his stellar all-around performances, Jayson Tatum has gotten the attention and respect from the vast majority of the game’s best current-crop of ballers.
He is an instant bucket whenever he’s on the hardwood, proving to have the capability of thriving both in creating for himself or finding a way to get open off the ball, defenders have been finding themselves sweating more than usual when assigned to the star wing.
From his sensational offensive prowess to his All-NBA deserving defensive play this season with the Boston Celtics, despite what Bleacher Report thinks, heading into the league’s resumption Tatum is without a doubt a top-3 player in the Eastern Conference.
No ifs, ands, or buts!
No. 2) Joel Embiid
Frankly, we here at the Houdini feel B/R did Joel Embiid real dirty, and this is coming from a Boston Celtics-based publication that gets full enjoyment out of throwing jabs at both the big and the Philadelphia 76ers franchise as a whole. Though the team has underperformed during this year’s campaign based on preseason expectations, the Cameroonian native is still arguably the best center in the entire NBA and easily a top-3 player out east.
Obviously, as made evident by this article, we’d venture as far as to say he deserves the label of second-best in the conference.
We get it, the seven-foot behemoth can sometimes seem lost on the court — specifically referring to his underwhelming stretch back in February –, but for the most part this, season he has been an absolute force for the Sixers.
Through 44 games played, Embiid has managed to post stellar averages of 23.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks a game on 47 percent shooting from the floor and 35 percent shooting from deep.
With him leading the way, the 76ers have put together a record of 39-26, good enough for sixth-best in the east. Currently, the team is slated to face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, something we believe could be problematic for the Cs, as they’ve struggled against them all season.
With post moves reminiscent of Hakeem Olajuwon, an improving jump shot, and, according to B/R, “Rudy Gobert-level” defensive abilities, Joel Embiid is one of the best all-around players in the entire league and was sorely under-ranked in this past weekend’s publication.
No. 1) Giannis Antetokounmpo
I know, we shocked you guys with Giannis Antetokounmpo being ranked the number one player in the Eastern Conference, right? ( **he says with a sarcastic tone reminiscent of Chandler Bing**)
To put it simply, while some — myself included — can argue the superstar’s placement within the entire league’s individual power-rankings, there is absolutely no WAY you can argue that he’s not the best player in his respective conference.
Since being switched to a point-forward position back in the 2016-17 season (something Jason Kidd doesn’t get nearly enough credit for), the man known as the “Greek Freak” has proven to be one of, if not the most unstoppable force the NBA has to offer.
Posting incredible all-around averages of 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, one steal, and one block per game on 55 percent shooting from the field in just under 31 minutes per game (kudos to Mike Budenholzer, by the way), the reigning league MVP has astonishingly found a way to get even better from his earth-shattering performance from the season prior.
Currently boasting the ninth-highest box plus/minus for a single season in NBA history (11.5), Giannis finds himself leading the charge towards his second consecutive MVP award and, more impressive, his first Defensive Player of the Year award, a feat not seen outside of Michael Jordan (1988) and Hakeem Olajuwon (1994).
Bleacher Report went further into just how impressive the seventh-year superstar has been on the less-glamorous side of the ball this season:
"In addition to his 12.7 defensive rebounds (first this season and third-most all time), 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per 75 possessions, Milwaukee allow 11.3 fewer points per 100 possessions when Giannis is on the floor, giving him a defensive rating swing that ranked in the 98th percentile. For further context, the Bucks allow just 97.7 points per 100 possessions when Giannis plays. The league average defensive rating this season is 110.4."
With all this considered, coupled with the facts that he has guided his team to the best record (53-12) both out east and in the entire league, and that virtually every power-ranking has the Milwaukee Bucks placed either first or second in the standings, there should be no debate about it: the best player in the Eastern Conference is Giannis Antetokounmpo, bubble or not.