By this point in the season, we've all determined that the Boston Celtics are mortal.As it turns out, though, that mortality may apply only against Eastern Conference opponents. In beating San Antonio yesterday, Boston improved to 16-0 against the Western Conference.
This can be taken one of two ways, of course. It could be grounds to crown the Celtics, who lead the East by three games over the Pistons, the de facto midseason favorites to win the NBA Championships.
But more accurately, the staggering statistic demonstrates the disparity between the two conferences and suggests that the Eastern Conference playoffs are going to be a dogfight.
Last month alone, Boston lost five times to Eastern Conference opponents, including twice to Washington and once each to Charlotte, Orlando and Toronto. The Celtics are 39-9, good for the best record in both the East and the NBA as a whole, but no longer a mark that threatens Chicago's 73-win standard.
Two of the Big Three have missed time with injuries, Ray Allen with a ginger ankle and Kevin Garnett with a strained abdominal muscle that has now sidelined him seven straight games. And while age has been part of the problem for Boston, it certainly isn't everything; in four of the five January losses, the Celtics' roster was at full strength.
Even with the recent setbacks, it would be hard to bet against Boston making the playoffs as a #1 seed. But Detroit, Orlando, and Cleveland lurk. And now that the Lakers and Suns have bolstered their rosters, the NBA Finals may be no cakewalk, either.
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3 comments:
The Celtics are similar to the Spurs, in that their perimeter defense forces auxiliary players out of their niche, alienating the stars. And yesterday they were most impressive, using the old "pressure defense to create offense" strategy, disallowing San Antonio to fall into their more organized defenses.
However, you said it perfectly: The East will be a fight. What that conference lacks in pure basketball acumen, it more than makes up for in grit. To say that the Celtics are undefeated against the West is not to say something very interesting; because in order to play West in the postseason, they'll have to survive the East.
they lost 5 games during a stretch where some players had the flu, hedu turkalu (blatant push off on pierce) and dwight howard (took a swing at rondo)got away with crap no calls, and they were exhaling from a road trip and a game against detroit. the celtics are taking the San Antonio approch. Use the regular season to mesh and gel, avoid major injuries, and get set up for the playoffs. Orlando wont win in the playoffs because they have 0 experience. Cleveland has no bench. Detroit is the only team that can come close, and they just need 1 Sheed meltdown to lose it. Plus, Flip Saunders is an awful coach. As for the west, your teams are absolute garbage. Phoenix is desperate, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom are soft on defense, and Dallas has no heart. You have 1 shot, it's San Antonio. When they get Parker back, it will be a great team again
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