By Zachary Connell | Observer Contributor
The Boston Celtics opened the NBA season with 20-1 odds to win the NBA Championship according to espn.com. They finished in 5th place with a 48-34 record last year and lost in the first round of the playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks. With the signing of center Al Horford and drafting small forward Jaylen Brown, the expectations are higher for the Celtics to make a stronger push in the playoffs this year.
Although I would love for the Celtics to come out on top at the end of the playoffs, I believe they will reach the Eastern Conference finals. I think they will face the Cleveland Cavaliers but lose the series four games to one. Cleveland has proven they can beat anyone in the East Conference.
The Celtics are one of many teams who are trying to dethrone Cleveland in the Eastern Conference. It feels like the Cavs have more talent than every team in the East. The Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, and the Washington Wizards are the four teams who look to challenge the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
Boston is currently battling for the first seed in the East. It would be a huge accomplishment for the team if they do finish at the top because they would avoid the Cavaliers until the third round of the playoffs, if they do in fact make it that far.
Head Coach of the Boston Celtics, Brad Stevens, understands the talent the Cavaliers have. Their star player, LeBron James, in my opinion, is currently the best player in the NBA. According to masslive.com, Brad Stevens said of James, “I say this all the time: His physical attributes are incredible. He can really play with the ball, and he has great skill. But his understanding of the game is at the highest level, and I think when you put that combination together, he’s been on one of the great runs ever.”
The Celtics will have to either face the Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, or the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs. The Celtics this year have beaten the Milwaukee Bucks on their own court. When facing the Pacers, the results were the same. They won both meetings against the Pacers; both wins coming in Indiana. Also against the Detroit Pistons, the Celtics won three out of the four meetings, with the one loss being at the TD Garden.
If Boston could beat one of those three teams in the first round, they would be looking at some tough opponents in the second round. The three teams they could potentially face in the second round are in fact the teams who also have the best chances to dethroning the Cavaliers. The Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, and Washington Wizards are teams the Celtics have had a tough time playing against this season.
The Celtics have a record of 6-9 against the top teams in the Eastern Conference. There is a cause of concern for Celtics fans if they meet one of these teams in the playoffs. As much as they don’t want to see these match ups, they will have to compete against two of the top teams in the East to get to the NBA Finals.
Boston knows that to win an NBA championship, they must beat the best. Point guard Isaiah Thomas has had an MVP candidate season and to continue his remarkable season, he must beat the best player in the world to get the Celtics on top. Although there have never really been any upsets in the NBA playoffs, former Celtic Kevin Garnett once said, “Anything is possible.” The Celtics believe they can compete with the best of the NBA.
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