Boston Celtics first-round playoff projection from B/R would be a cakewalk
If the Boston Celtics ended up with the Eastern Conference first-round postseason matchup that Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz is projecting, there’d be maximum entertainment value and minimal worries the Cs would be in any danger of an early playoff exit.
Swartz slotted the Celtics at the No. 1 seed in the conference, which hardly seems like a stretch considering their level of play through the first half of the season. For their first playoff opponent? The dysfunctional New York Knicks.
Swartz hit the nail on the head regarding the potential entertainment value of such a series and mainly focused on New York’s improvements over last season and the ‘happy to be there’ mentality the Knicks would have should they navigate the NBA Play-in tournament:
"“A Knicks-Celtics first round series would provide a tremendous basketball atmosphere, no matter the city or arena, and mark a nice turnaround for a New York team that finished eight games below .500 just a year ago.”“The Knicks may have to go through the play-in tournament to ultimately reach the postseason given their tough remaining strength of schedule, but this team has proved it belongs back in the playoffs.”"
The Knicks would be a sweep risk if they ended up facing the Boston Celtics
Very seldomly does a situation in which the head coach is in hot water result in something positive. Knicks fans have been unhappy with Tom Thibodeau since the 2021-22 season, and though the team seems to have a capable leader in Jalen Brunson, New York doesn’t have enough proven scorers to realistically be confident heading into a postseason matchup against anyone in the east.
Julius Randle was a disappearing act during the 2021 playoffs, the team’s veterans (Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose) are essentially unplayable, and the team has too much youth to overcome any of the top dogs in the east.
The Houdini is very confident in the Boston Celtics sweeping the Knicks out of the playoffs with ease should B/R’s first-round postseason projection come to fruition.