2019-2010 Boston Celtics: A Season to Enjoy
A fresh stack of warm pancakes with syrup when waking up from a long sleep. A soft, fluffy blanket after coming in from a cold, blustery day. That big, enveloping hug from someone that hasn’t been there for a while. This year’s Celtics team is that level of comfort and enjoyment for a lot of long-time Green Teamers. It is exactly the type of team that fans needed after the debacle of last season. The Celtics Playoff preview and predictions are pensively optimistic this year, as opposed to pessimistically riding on one man’s shoulders the year prior.
This season’s Celtics team is a cohesive unit. They started bonding as a group on the court before the season even began, but they’ve also bonded by coming together for activities outside of basketball. The team has also had fun together while contributing to the community as well (unlike someone who couldn’t sign some basketballs last year).
?♀️ @tackofall99 taking some swimming lessons at the @bgcboston ?? pic.twitter.com/n9qAv5fYKU
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) September 25, 2019
In large part, a lot of this change is thanks to Kemba Walker’s leadership. The team has become what C’s fans expect; a tough, grinding group who exceeds expectations by working hard together. This change in attitude and behavior has made the 2019-20 squad vastly more watchable and easy to route for. The potential this team has (outlined below) will take that enjoyment to another level by the end of the season.
Celtics Playoff Preview and Predictions – Seeding
On March 5th the Celtics are sitting one game behind the Raptors for second place in the Eastern Conference. This will change in the Celtics’ favor. The C’s currently have the season advantage head-to-head with two wins compared to Toronto’s one. That makes the Celtics and Raptors final match-up on Friday night, March 20th a must-watch game for any fan of the NBA. The outcome of that game will also most likely decide the seeding for the East.
Current prediction: the Celtics will win the game against the Raptors on the 20th and go on to take the two seed in the Eastern Conference.
Celtics Playoff Preview and Predictions – Lineups
This is a tricky one for the Celtics. Brad Stevens has shuffled the roster, both out of necessity and sometimes seemingly for fun, a significant amount this season. The health of the team is the referenced necessity; there have been less than 20 games this season where the original, projected starting lineup has been on the floor together. Due to the mass of illness and injury this season there are not clear first and second lines for the current Celtics; they have played freely with lineups based on the match-up. Stevens cannot have fun with lineups come playoffs, however, and will need to tighten up lines and have more defined roles.
Barring injury, the starting five for the Celtics should be assigned as follows: Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, and Daniel Theis.
The second line for the Celtics should be: Marcus Smart, Brad Wanamaker, Grant Williams, Semi Ojeleye, and Robert Williams. Semi Ojeleye gets the spot over other youngsters based on his experience, and his career night against Cleveland. He hopefully gets a boost building off the Cleveland performance and carries it through the playoffs. Enes Kanter would be the obvious Robert Williams replacement if Time Lord does not show the ability to make it to the playoff roster healthy.
Celtics Playoff Preview and Predictions – Opponents
The bottom of the Eastern Conference (currently Brooklyn and Orlando, the seven and eight seeds, respectively) aren’t going anywhere. Washington is too far away to catch up and has no tools beyond Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans, and a Rozier-led Charlotte won’t make the jump this season. They may flip-flop spots with nearly identical records, though Brooklyn will most likely hold on for the seven spot.
If the Celtics have to face off against Brooklyn it will be with odd trepidation (though that could also change depending on their final match-up together). The C’s are down in the season series, having only won their first meeting with Brooklyn winning the second and third. That third win was a shocking, come-from-behind victory in which the C’s gave up 51 points in the fourth quarter, with Caris LeVert dropping 51 points by the end of OT. The Celtics, however, will not falter in the first round despite Brooklyn’s wins this season. Brooklyn’s random, shocking wins are nice but stringing together multiple wins in the playoffs is an entirely different story. The C’s take the series in five games.
Beyond the first round is unclear, and who the Celtics could face off against could change wildly. Right now, it could end up with the Celtics against the Raptors in the second round. That would be a slobber-knocker of a playoff series, and nearly unpredictable. Both teams have been nearly identical in record and pace all season. If the Celtics make it out of the second round series they’ll face off against the Bucks. There is no way Philadelphia and their dysfunctional roster can take down Giannis and company.
Celtics Playoff Preview and Predictions – The Finals?
The current Celtics team has the potential and ability to, and will make, the NBA Finals this season. Once in the finals, the prediction gets more difficult. Right now it seems like both the Lakers and Clippers are set to bring a Finals series to Los Angeles one way or the other. No matter the Los Angeles squad, the Celtics will come out on top as NBA Champions.
If the projection of the Los Angeles Clippers coming out of the West comes true, the Celtics will win the NBA Finals in six games. The MVP will come down to Jayson Tatum (based on his play against Kawhi Leonard), or Kemba Walker (based on a dominant series and being the clear leader of the victorious team).
If the projection of the Los Angeles Lakers coming out of the West comes to pass, the Celtics will win the NBA Finals in seven games. Jayson Tatum will win MVP for the series and solidify his dominance this season, while proving to LeBron that he is, indeed, The Problem.
Side Notes:
Marcus Smart received a $35,000 suspension for his antics after the Brooklyn game on Tuesday night. Smart is easily the heart and soul of the Celtics, but he also is impulsive (i.e. almost ending his career with a picture frame). He has seemed distracted and not at his top level of play over the last two games, with the referees and foul calls (or non-calls) getting the best of him. He must, and will, rein it in before playoffs.
In other Celtics concerns, Jaylen Brown is out for at least a week with a hamstring strain. He will be fine before the playoffs, but hamstrings are concerning. They have a habit of lingering if not properly rested. The Celtics will need to make sure Jaylen gets all the time he needs and the injury fully heals before letting him step on the court again.
.@SHAQ’s punishment for losing his friendly wager with D-Wade is priceless ? pic.twitter.com/JII7yrrH99
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 4, 2020
The most entertaining thing on television this week has been Shaquille O’Neal‘s hairline. He lost a bet against Dwayne Wade and had to grow his hair out, revealing the glory that is his forehead. Ever the good sport, Shaq rolled with and embraced the look to the enjoyment of NBA fans everywhere, even including an ascot in his ensemble for good measure.
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