Boston Celtics: Arguments for Cs being No. 2 in B/R’s power rankings
Hottest team in NBA
There arguably isn’t a hotter team in the NBA than the Boston Celtics right now.
Before COVID has turned this week of NBA action into a mess, the Cs were riding high on a four-game winning streak and had vaulted atop the Eastern Conference standings.
After an understandably slow start that saw them begin the year 3-3, Boston has gotten close wins against the Pistons and Heat and have taken care of business against the Raptors and Wizards.
The Celtics have averaged just under 118 points a game over their last four games after averaging 110.3 points a contest in their first six games of the season.
That hot streak has propelled the team to their best standing in the Eastern Conference in this young season, and it’s fitting that the team atop the East is second only to the team atop the West.
Dynamic lineup
Assuming everyone is healthy, how do you guard the Boston Celtics this season?
They boast a fairly deep roster and have two legit stars leading the team to start the season in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Both wings are averaging over 26 points and are capable of taking over a game at any given moment.
Brown’s emergence as a star in his own right has taken some of the pressure off Tatum, and both are feeding off each other’s energy. The pair are Boston’s most consistent three-point shooters, and both are capable rebounders who can also dish out a number of assists.
The Celtics are more than just two players this season, though.
Marcus Smart has been solid at point guard so far, averaging 6.4 assists to go along with his 12.2 points a game. He has an assist/turnover ratio of 3.63, which is on pace to be the best of his career.
Tristan Thompson has been doing his part as Boston’s veteran post presence, averaging 8.4 points and 8.5 rebounds while making 52.9 percent of his shots, and Jeff Teague has been a good, experienced presence at point guard off the bench.
Speaking of the bench, it’s been a real asset to begin this season.
Payton Pritchard has been the surprise of the year so far for Boston, as the rookie out of Oregon has been a nice jolt to their backcourt and defense. In his 22.9 minutes of action a game, Pritchard is averaging 8.6 points, 3.1 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals while making 42.3 percent of his threes and connecting on 90 percent of his free throws.
When you throw in the contributions Robert Williams, Grant Williams, and Semi Ojeleye have given so far, it’s clear the bench for the Boston Celtics has the potential to only get better as the season goes along.
In fact, it’s not inconceivable to think some of their current bench players could challenge for starting roles here soon.
Oh, and they have managed to play this well without Kemba Walker on the court.
When he returns, that figures to only further bolster Boston’s strong roster.