Boston Celtics: SI explains why Cs are perfect modern NBA team
As of this writing, the Boston Celtics have a several-game cushion on the next-best team in the league. Through the first two and a half months of the 2022-23 season, Boston is the only team with a winning percentage north of 70%.
It’s not a stretch to say that the Cs are the class of the Association. In fact, it’d be disingenuous to say otherwise. No other team in the league is in the top seven in both offensive rating and defensive rating.
Because of this, Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Nadkarni ranked the Celtics at the No. 1 spot in his title contender rankings, calling Boston a ‘beautiful team in the modern NBA’ and commending them for being the one team that has gone above and beyond the rest of the pack:
"“A beautiful team for the modern NBA. The Celtics are the realized version of what the Clippers have been trying to be. Incredible flexibility to play big or small. Defenders at every position. Outstanding shooting. Depth. Finals experience. Boston checks every box. The Celtics are on pace to have the best offense in NBA history, and after a slow start to the season, are now seventh in defense. If there’s one team that’s separated itself from the pack, it’s Boston.”"
Boston Celtics postseason rival considered second best title contender
Perhaps the most shocking thing about Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Nadkarni’s NBA title contenders rankings was the presence of the Brooklyn Nets at the No. 2 spot. While they have won 10 games in a row under the leadership of Jacque Vaughn — who replaced Steve Nash after the legendary point guard’s firing from the Nets head coach role on November 1 — Brooklyn’s foundation is still built on two players who requested a trade this past offseason.
Can Kyrie Irving be relied upon when the going gets tough — or even expected not to get himself into trouble again? What about Ben Simmons’ mental psyche?
Ultimately, those question marks are too much to ignore, and don’t allow the Houdini to fully take Brooklyn seriously as an NBA title contender.