If the 2019-20 NBA season resumes, the playoffs will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.
Might this favor a team like the Boston Celtics?
It’s hard to say, of course. But ESPN’s “Get Up” crew kicked around the idea Thursday.
Obviously, we don’t know many specifics regarding the NBA’s potential restart, as the league still is dealing with immense uncertainty amid the coronavirus pandemic. The NBA could opt for a “bubble” location — like Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. — and significantly alter its playoff format, perhaps even jumping directly to the postseason without playing any more regular-season games.
For now, there are more questions than answers, making it difficult to assess anything from an on-court perspective.
That said, the Celtics are young, talented and fully capable of going on a hot streak, which could serve them well when basketball returns, everyone tries to get their legs under them and unpredictability rules the day.
“They have three different players on their team (Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown) who average 20 points a game. Two of them are very young,” Mike Greenberg reasoned Thursday. “They have 10 players on their team who average double-digit minutes per game. I love the way they’re coached, and I think that they have a superstar waiting to happen in Jayson Tatum, who if this season had played itself out I think would have played himself into significant discussion in the MVP race.”
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Greenberg then tossed over to Jalen Rose, who expressed a similar sentiment. And according to Rose, they’re not alone in liking Boston’s championship chances, even if the C’s sit a notch below the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks in the title conversation.
“Actually, I agree with you Greenie. And for those of us in the know, that’s not a long reach and here’s why,” Rose said. “The Milwaukee Bucks, while I respect Khris Middleton, people are still trying to wonder if he’s gonna be the second-best player on the team that can win the East and win the championship. I love how the Raptors — the defending world champion Toronto Raptors, led by Pascal Siakam — continue to outplay expectations. Nick Nurse is my Coach of the Year. Boston sits right there.
“Based on all of the things you said. Plus, they’ve got a young superstar in Jayson Tatum. I love the All-Star in Kemba Walker. And they have a ‘Jaylen’ (Brown) on their squad so you’ve got to think that they have a chance to do something great.”
Jay Williams was slightly less bullish on the Celtics, questioning whether Boston has the type of interior presence to keep up with the other contenders, particularly if the game slows down in the half court. But he, too, is high on the C’s, suggesting that one flaw is the only thing that would hinder them from winning a championship.
Again, it’s difficult to fully evaluate the Celtics’ title odds without knowing what the season will look like. Their road to the NBA Finals might be much different if the league ditches its normal East/West format in favor of a 16-team reseed regardless of conference.
One probably shouldn’t sleep on Brad Stevens’ squad, though. The core of Tatum, Brown, Walker, Gordon Hayward and Marcus Smart sure seems capable of going toe to toe with most, if not all, teams across The Association.
Boston should be a very tough out, if nothing else. And who knows, maybe the NBA’s ultimate return plan will work in the Celtics’ favor and pave the way for a sooner-than-expected 18th championship banner.
