NBA Playoff Power Rankings: It's time for the Celtics to show and prove
The NBA playoffs are finally here. Well, almost, since the NBA doesn’t count the play-in tournament as part of the playoffs. Regardless, we’ve arrived at the moment where the games matter the most. It’s a race to 16 wins. Whoever manages to get there by June’s arrival will be crowned your NBA champion.
Nobody has more at stake this year than the Boston Celtics. If there were ever a year for the Jayson Tatum-era Celtics to get over the hump finally, this one is it.
After losing in the Conference Finals in such a pitiable way to an 8-seed Heat team last season and losing in the NBA Finals after building a 2-1 lead against Golden State, Boston needs to get the job done this year.
This is the best team in the NBA by far. The Celtics’ 11.7 point differential is the best in the NBA by far. There’s All-Star talent across the team’s starting lineup. These Celtics are the closest thing we’ve had to a super team in years. Nobody should beat Boston.
Yet, nobody seems completely convinced that Boston will win this year. That starts with the West’s contenders, who all look incredible. Denver, Oklahoma City, Minnesota and L.A. are all extremely good. The Celtics have a 3-5 record against the West’s top four teams this season. They didn’t get a win at all against the reigning champion Nuggets.
Plus, on the other side, there’s some tough competition between the Knicks, Bucks and maybe even the 76ers with plenty of star talent on the roster. The path to a championship for Boston won’t be an easy one. But this team should still get the job done. It’s that good.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens down the line. In the meantime, here’s a power ranking for all the teams left in the NBA’s big dance so far ahead of the play-in tournament.