How Ex-NBA All-Star Sees Celtics-Sixers Race In East Unfolding

The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers met as the top two seeded teams in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday night, perhaps previewing a season-long race for the No. 1 spot.

That’s not a far-stretched prediction considering how both the Celtics and Sixers have worked to establish their identities on both ends of the floor. Boston’s new-look lineup and Philadelphia’s post-James Harden breakup run have paid dividends for each team respectively, but have the Sixers done enough amid their surprise early run?

“Is it possible? Yes. Do I see it happening? No,” four-time NBA All-Star Demarcus Cousins explained on the “Bully Ball” podcast. “That Celtics team is so well put together. I just don’t really see any team getting past them. And I think at a certain point, the Sixers will run out of firepower. I could be wrong, but my gut is telling me they’ll run out of firepower, especially in the playoffs.”

Unlike Boston, Philadelphia is working as one of the league’s underdogs. The pressure isn’t nearly as high as the growing weight on the Celtics’ shoulders to back up their offseason roster transformation and prove the front office right. The 76ers didn’t do a whole lot in the offseason, mostly enduring the Harden drama that led to an inevitable trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, on the other hand, have provided plenty of firepower to the Celtics thus far. Their combination of defensive intensity plus an upgraded versatile scoring skillset makes Boston’s starting five its most deadly under the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown era.

Winning is obviously the No. 1 goal for any contending team, however, in Philadelphia’s case, the added element of convincing Joel Embiid to commit long-term leaves its front office under a different kind of pressure.

Either way, both historic rival franchises can easily cross paths once again when the playoffs roll around.