Boston Celtics: 2 last-month priorities before postseason

With a little less than month remaining in the regular season the Boston Celtics have two priorities as they finish out the season, and head into the playoffs.

They are as follows…

Boston Celtics Priority #1: Get healthy

This is absolutely crucial. As we saw against the Chicago Bulls, the Celtics desperately need all hands on deck if they are going to make any kind of run in the playoffs. That has frankly been one of the key things missing all year.

Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, Robert Williams, and Jaylen Brown have all missed multiple games this season. All of these guys provide something unique that can’t be replaced.

Smart is by far their best backcourt defender, and truly sets the tone on the defensive end, and has a knack for making big plays when they need them the most. Tatum and Brown have clearly become the two best scorers on the roster, and without either them the Celtics become limited offensively.

Last but not least, Robert Williams has earned big time minutes in the front court. When healthy he not only is the best front court defender, but he gives something no one else on the roster can, rim protection and above the rim finishing.

If the Boston Celtics are to have any hope of making a playoff run, they need to get healthy in a timely fashion.

Boston Celtics Priority #2: Secure the #4 seed

I know we have heard a lot about how homecourt advantage doesn’t matter as much this season, but for the Celtics having homecourt advantage in the 1st round would be huge.

Not only are the C’s a much different team at home, but their potential 1st round opponent the Atlanta Hawks are a younger team, and would be at much bigger disadvantage playing on the road, early in the playoffs than a more veteran team.

The Boston Celtics would have a great chance to gain early momentum at home against a young inexperienced team early in the playoffs with the #4 seed.

Finally and perhaps most importantly a #4 seed would mean that the Celtics were finally playing like the team we expected to see back in December, building momentum, and establishing that long elusive winning identity just in time for the playoffs.