Boston Celtics draft: Assessing 5 likeliest first-round targets

Whether or not the Boston Celtics wind up with home-field advantage in the first round of the postseason is the question that the next two days could bring some clarity to…if not outright answer it.

Tonight, without Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, and Robert Williams absent from the lineup, the Jaylen Brown-led Cs host a listless, lifeless Oklahoma City Thunder that has been ravaged by injuries, COVID-19, and a desire not to win too many games.

A win seems likely given the point spread fluctuating in the 9.5-11 range from various sportsbooks, but the Thunder does tend to play hard most nights. At this point, though, not enough production is going to be produced to win (or even credibly compete) when Darius Bazley is your top option.

Tomorrow, a somewhat pivotal game will be played when the #8-seeded Charlotte Hornets–who stand just 1.5 games out of the #6 seed entering play tonight–after the Hornets spanked the Cs to the tune of 125-104 over the weekend.

If Boston can take care of business tonight, that game won’t become a MUST-WIN, but it almost looks like that considering the proximity of both Charlotte and the Miami Heat in the standings.

No Boston Celtics fan anywhere on the map needs the stress and anxiety of a play-in tournament, though. Imagine what a loss before the playoffs would do to the fanbase…

*Thinks happy thoughts.*

Let’s instead think about who the Cs could take in the upcoming NBA Draft. Given their likely landing spot in the late teens, pinpointing an exact draft pick for any specific draft slot doesn’t matter as much.

Let us all instead take a look at who Ainge will most likely have his eyes on: