It’s been a tough go of it this season for two of the NBA’s most storied franchises.
Following offseasons filled with excitement, it’s been mostly frustration for the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers thus far in the 2018-19 campaign. The Celtics have struggled to build any sort of consistency, while the Lakers are on the outside looking in as the postseason nears.
So, which team currently is the bigger mess? It’s the Celtics if you ask Max Kellerman, and the “First Take” co-host believes it all boils down to the difference in expectations heading into the season.
There’s no doubt Boston and L.A. were in wildly different situations as the season got underway. The Celtics are in win-now mode, as they boast arguably the deepest and most talented roster in all of the NBA. While the Lakers are more than capable of reaching the 2019 playoffs, they weren’t expected to compete for a title right away upon signing LeBron James this past summer. L.A.’s perceived plan all along has been to team James up with a bonafide superstar(s), and there’s a good chance it will fulfill that goal this offseason.
That said, there’s still plenty of time for Kellerman’s take to be reversed. While it might not be with a top seed like most expected, the C’s all but certainly are bound for the postseason and very well could begin to take off with a new sense of urgency. The Purple and Gold, meanwhile, will be hard-pressed to delay their summer vacations within the loaded Western Conference.
But for now, the downs far outweigh the ups this season for both historic clubs.
