The Boston Celtics are not-so arguably the best team in the NBA this season. Earlier this week, the team clinched the best record in NBA for the first time since their last championship season in 2008. That was thanks to their 135-100 statement win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night (April 3). It’s pretty amazing that the guys clinched that record with nearly two weeks still left to go in the regular season.
Can Anyone Take Down the Boston Celtics?
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla knows that in the NBA, things chance rapidly. When asked about having the best record in the NBA following the Oklahoma City game, he was humble.
“It’s very hard to do. We may never be in this position again,” Mazzulla said. “We talked about it as a team. We talked about it before the game, to try to treat this game as the clincher. To kind of put that on ourselves to be able to do that. I think it was important for us to simulate that… We should enjoy it tonight, and when wake up tomorrow, nobody cares.”
The win marked the Celtics’ 60th of the season. That made their record of 60-win seasons 14. The Los Angeles Lakers are the only team close to them, with 11 60-win seasons.
There’s no denying that this year’s Boston Celtics team is dangerous. It’s going to be very hard for any team to beat them in the playoffs. But, it could happen.
It’s worth noting that the Celtics have no reason to play at their best in their final six games. Following clinching the NBA’s best record with the Thunder win, they have a guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the postseason. So, why even try?
It’s a slippery slope. If I were the Celtics’ head coach, I would rest my star players but keep them in the game enough to not lose their momentum. The Celtics are peaking right now, and benching your star players for too long could break that momentum. Still, these guys should rest and avoid injuries.
As I see it, there’s really just one team in the NBA’s Eastern Conference that could pose any kind of threat to the Celtics, and that’s the Philadelphia 76ers. They’ve been on a downward trajectory since February, when they lost their star player Joel Embiid to an injury. But, Embiid is back. He took two months off to recover from a meniscus injury and is already helping the team pull off wins once again with him in the fold. Having him back really makes the Philadelphia 76ers the Boston Celtics’ biggest competition in the NBA’s Eastern Conference playoffs.
Outside of the Eastern Conference, the Dallas Mavericks could pose a threat to the Boston Celtics. They have one of the strongest defenses in the league. The Denver Nuggets have won more than 50 games this season and are another possibility. Other hot teams peaking right now include the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns. Really, one bad night for the Celtics, and any of these teams could take them down. But, I don’t see it being easy. The playoffs start on April 20, and they should make for some exciting games.