The Boston Celtics were on the verge of reaching 40 wins before 20 losses. What was required was consecutive wins over the Denver Nuggets and Brooklyn Nets. Unfortunately for the former, they fell 103-84 in the "Mile High City" to cap their West Coast trip.
Since the 1979-80 season, only four teams have failed to meet that benchmark and gone on to reach the NBA mountaintop. While that seems like a concerning sign for Boston, there are two reasons its fan base should not overreact to this.
The first is a Jayson Tatum-sized caveat. If a player who has been an All-NBA First Team selection the last four years returns this season, he can provide a significant boost while being far from that standard.
Tatum rejoining the Celtics to help with this year's championship pursuit would likely turn their failure to accumulate 40 wins before 20 losses into a statistic that rings hollow.
Of course, they may have to complete this campaign without the six-time All-Star forward. As Tatum reiterated recently, while he is relentlessly attacking his rehab, there is nothing set in stone regarding whether he will return this season.
"I feel like I'm beating a dead horse; I'm just taking it one day at a time," voiced Tatum at a Saturday media availability at Saint Monica Prep, a day before watching his team beat the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. "It was something that was very serious, the injury that I had. It's a long journey. For me, it's just a lot easier to take it one day at a time."
Is the current iteration of the Celtics a title contender?
Fifty-eight games into the season, the evidence is strong enough to make the answer to that question clear. Boston is a legitimate championship contender.
Even after the Celtics' loss to the Nuggets, they're generating the second-highest offensive rating, limiting opponents to the fewest points per contest, and have the third-best net rating in the NBA. That's a balanced complexion that screams to take this group seriously in the chase for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Another crucial piece of criteria that Boston meets is having an MVP candidate on its roster. Jaylen Brown is averaging 29.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per contest this season. He is shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. The five-time All-Star's ability to consistently attack downhill repeatedly leads to quality shots for himself and those around him.
Are the Celtics, in their current form, without Tatum, the favorites in the East? No. That distinction deservedly belongs to the Detroit Pistons, who have the highest winning percentage in the Association.
Many would also disregard the standings and put the New York Knicks over them. In their most recent matchup, Boston's geographical rival handed them a 111-89 loss on Super Bowl Sunday. Some may also favor the Cleveland Cavaliers after acquiring James Harden, even though he has a spotty playoff track record and he recently fractured his right thumb.
Even if an individual sizes up the top-four teams in the East and ranks the Celtics at the bottom of that quartet, they are undeniably capable of emerging to represent their conference in the NBA Finals. From there, while they again would not be viewed as the favorite, if you're playing on that stage, anything can happen, and you have a chance to cap what many on the outside thought would be a gap year with one of the most surprising championships in league history.