The Boston Celtics are defying expectations. However, make no mistake, this isn't just some plucky underdog. It's deep enough into the regular season to see that this team is good enough to contend when the stakes get high.
The Eastern Conference is wide open. Boston boasts the second-best offensive rating in the NBA. Opponents are scoring the second-fewest points against the Celtics, and they're third in net rating, per NBA.com.
It speaks to a balanced team that's getting MVP-caliber play from Jaylen Brown. The four-time All-Star is coming off one of the best performances of his career. It was a two-way masterpiece that included limiting Kawhi Leonard to 35 percent shooting and matching his career-high of 50 points.
Brown is relishing his long-awaited opportunity to shoulder more responsibility on offense. He is averaging 30.1 points on 51 percent shooting and dishing out 5.0 assists per contest. It speaks to a player who is acting as a rising tide, elevating everyone around him.
However, Boston's ability to contend in the East goes well beyond one individual.
The power of an elite infrastructure
What the Celtics are demonstrating this season is an exemplary display of what it looks like when an organization has elite infrastructure.
Like Brown, this is a group capitalizing on increased opportunities. For many, this is their first crack at consistent minutes. From Neemias Queta, who's 26, but didn't reach 2,000 career minutes until recently, to Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, Josh Minott, and Baylor Scheierman, the response has turned Boston into the home of one of the league's most encouraging youth movements.
Anfernee Simons is acclimating to the role of sixth man. He's averaging 13.1 points, knocking down 38.5 percent of his three-point attempts, and his defense is improving.
He could also prove a helpful trade chip between now and February's deadline. However, it would be intriguing to see him get the chance to play alongside Jayson Tatum.
Speaking of the four-time All-NBA First Team selection, there is a genuine possibility he returns during the current campaign. If that happens, he doesn't even have to return to his level of play from before tearing his Achilles tendon to represent the most significant move any franchise will make this season.
Miami Heat guard Dru Smith returned from the same injury in nine months. That would put Tatum back in Boston's lineup in February. Dr. Kevin Stone, a leading expert in Achilles tendon repairs, believes that it is "definitely realistic."
The Celtics are already tied for the most wins against opponents with a .500 record or better this season [11]. If Tatum rejoins the fold and strengthens their rotation, there's no reason to dismiss them as not being on the same level as teams like the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons. Even if he doesn't, they've shown they can beat any opponent in the East in a best-of-seven series.