(Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
Right now, many people seem to agree that the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets are the two best teams in the NBA, and many are expecting them to meet in the championship series this summer.
The Celtics have a 46-12 record, and they not only have a comfortable cushion in first place in the Eastern Conference, but they’re comfortably ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves for the best record in the league.
Former NBA head coach Stan Van Gundy, who is now a commentator for the NBA on TNT, said he would be surprised if Boston doesn’t win it all and said they’re “as far above everyone” as he’s ever seen, per SiriusXM NBA Radio.
“I think Boston is as far above everyone as I’ve seen in a long time”
@realStanVG explains why the #Celtics are the team to beat in the NBA #DifferentHere@RickKamlaSports | @adaniels33 pic.twitter.com/lQEsaGbOLV
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) February 29, 2024
Boston is currently the hottest team in the NBA with a nine-game winning streak, and they rank first in offensive rating and second in defensive rating.
They have arguably the best starting five in basketball, and center Kristaps Porzingis has given them low-post scoring and rim protection all in one.
If the Celtics have a weakness, it’s likely their bench — they’re 28th in bench points per game, and none of their reserves average more than 8.0 points per game.
In addition, there is still the lingering question of whether Jayson Tatum, their best player, can lead them all the way.
He played poorly in the 2022 NBA Finals, and last year in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, he scored just 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
For Tatum to prove he’s truly worthy of being a Celtics superstar, he will need to lead them to a world championship.
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