The Boston Celtics continue to have convincing wins against NBA title contenders and, with an impressive 24-5 record since January 29th, they have proven to be a championship-caliber squad themselves.
As the playoffs quickly draw near, now is the time when they can start looking at who their potential playoff opponents could wind up being.
It’s well known that the playoffs are a completely different animal–the game is slowed down, we see tighter rotations for ball clubs, and the referees allow players to be more physical.
These changes in the postseason can play to some team’s advantage, and can also wind up being a disadvantage to other teams.
Currently, the top four teams in the Eastern Conference include the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, and Philadelphia 76ers, with the Boston Celtics clinging to the fourth spot. These four are all battling it out, where one could make a case for each team being the best of the bunch, and why they should merit championship consideration.
For the C’s, the road to the NBA Finals will not be easy.
Even if they are considered one of the favorites to come out of the east, a championship is never guaranteed.
Depending on how the dominoes fall in terms of playoff seeding, there will be teams that will end up with easier first-round matchups. For others, they will face tougher challenges.
The remaining four playoff opponents in the standings are teams that should not be taken lightly and could give teams like Boston serious problems.
There are 2 teams, in particular, that the shamrocks should be monitoring with the season winding down: