Jayson Tatum matches up with Anfernee Simons as the Celtics visit the Trail Blazers.
The Boston Celtics are peaking at the right time, with the end of the regular season right around the corner and the playoffs just weeks away. The reigning NBA champions might not be the No. 1 seed in the East, but they’re playing as if they’re the team to beat.
Boston is coming off a 129-116 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, pushing their win streak to five games, and they’ve also won nine of their last 10 contests. Their lone defeat over that span came against the Oklahoma City Thunder by a tight 118-112 score, so there’s a strong argument to say Boston has been the best team in the league over that 10-game stretch not named OKC. Plus, they’ve been resting some of their star players here and there, and they’re also playing without Jaylen Brown, who’s dealing with a knee problem.
The advanced stats also love the Celtics over that 10-game stretch. They rank first in offensive rating (123.9), fifth in NET rating (+10.4), second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.40 dimes per every turnover), second in turnover percentage (11.6%) and ninth in true shooting percentage (60.1%). In other words, the Celtics are playing at a high level on offense and taking care of the ball.
The Celtics are currently going through a road trip on the West Coast, and they’re set to take on the Sacramento Kings on Monday as part of the second leg of a back-to-back set. The road trip doesn’t end there, though, as they’ll end the month on the road with games against the Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies on the horizon. Even if the Celtics struggle for the rest of the trip, which is unlikely given the way they’ve been playing lately, their schedule will soften considerably down the stretch.
After the road trip, Boston will play seven games before the end of the regular season on April 14. Two of those games will be played against the Charlotte Hornets, and two others will be played against the Miami Heat and the Washington Wizards. The Celtics may not catch the Cavaliers for the top spot in the East, but their level of play coupled with a favorable schedule will help them keep the pressure on Cleveland through the final day of the regular season.
The Cavaliers and Thunder are turning in incredible seasons and are seated atop their respective conference standings. That said, the Celtics are starting to play their best ball and reminding fans why they’re the defending champs.
