The Boston Celtics are on a roll, and the rest of the NBA is beginning to take note. After defeating the Toronto Raptors 121-113 on Sunday, the C’s pushed their record to 15-9 on the season, which is good for third place in the Eastern Conference currently.
With wins in each of their last five games, the Celtics are beginning to round into form after a slow start. Jaylen Brown is playing at an MVP-caliber level, and guys like Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, and Josh Minott have emerged as quality players capable of making a big impact on a nightly basis.
At first, some folks were skeptical to put much weight in Boston’s performance, but with each win, the team continues to prove it means business. NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints appears to be joining the hype train, as he moved the C’s up from the No. 16 spot to the No. 6 spot in his latest NBA power rankings.
“Joe Mazzulla wants to win, and he’s been coaching this year’s Celtics team with even more intensity than he did a season ago. The Celtics look great right now, and they are suddenly in third place in the East,” Siegel wrote.
“Boston is taking high-percentage shots on offense, they rank eighth in points off turnovers, and Jaylen Brown has been electric as of late, averaging 30.6 points per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the floor over the Celtics’ 12-game stretch where they’ve gone 10-2.”
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The fact that Boston is still among the top teams in the league in what was supposed to be a gap year is wildly encouraging. If Jayson Tatum can somehow return to the court later this season, the Celtics could actually contend for a title this year.
It’s important not to get too ahead of ourselves, though, as there’s still a lot of work left for the Celtics to do. The team will be back in action on Thursday night when they square off against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Featured image via John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images
