Let’s be clear: The Boston Celtics are guaranteed nothing. We’ve seen first-place teams crumble in the NBA playoffs plenty of times, and we’ve seen success be fleeting. How many potential dynasties have been derailed before they’ve even started?
Heck, there’s substantial evidence Boston’s not even the best team in the East right now. The Toronto Raptors are one game back in the loss column but have a substantially better scoring margin and efficiency deferential than the Celtics. The teams have faced off just once so far this season, a one-point Boston win back in November. The next battle is Tuesday.
But the Celtics — thanks to their youth, their assets, their long-term blueprint, and the fact they have an all-star-caliber scorer rehabbing an injury — are the team set up to take over the Eastern Conference for years to come.
The question is whether they are ready now.
The opportunity to speed up their plans and assume the throne has opened up unexpectedly with the Cavaliers’ meltdown. Few are confident Cleveland can get its defense into a suitable state for the playoffs, no matter LeBron James’ historic greatness. They look weakened and divided.
Sure, Cleveland stomped Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. But if you flip Isaiah Thomas and Kyrie Irving — as the teams did — and turn the Cavaliers against each other, plus add Jayson Tatum, add some experience on the other young Celtics, put a few more miles on Cleveland ... you’re seeing a world in which Boston is a favorite.
Heck, even if the Cavaliers hold onto the No. 3 seed, they should be underdogs against the Raptors (should the Raptors stay in No. 2 and not overtake the Celtics). There’s a substantial chance the Celtics don’t even face the Cavaliers in the playoffs because Cleveland could fail to get out of the second round.
This is the game board at the micro level: The Cavaliers are tearing themselves apart, and James is unlikely to lead his team to the NBA Finals for the eighth consecutive year. The East should have a new representative.
Danny Ainge built these Celtics to make the Finals at least a few times, and to add a banner or three to the rafters. But it’s hard to imagine Ainge or anyone expected it to happen this quickly.
Ainge is an opportunist. That’s how he swooped in on Irving, both unloading an injured player who was a year away from an expensive free agency and selling high on another Nets draft pick. Before that, he capitalized on the Jazz’s too-slow rebuild by poaching Gordon Hayward. Before that, he leveraged the Sixers’ crush on Markelle Fultz to get the player he wanted anyway plus a good asset. Before that, he landed Al Horford in the aftermath of just missing on Kevin Durant.
He’s truly had a spectacular run and this Cavaliers’ implosion is an opportunity. The Celtics have already scooped Greg Monroe off of the scrap heap after the big man was waived by the Suns. Boston has assets galore heading into Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, and a few intriguing, low-stakes players who can help the Celtics’ offense are available. If not then, there should be a few more quality players available after post-deadline buyouts, including perhaps Joe Johnson.
The Celtics are in position to have another top-five draft pick this June, unless the Lakers go on a victory bender. That’s a strong asset to use or trade in the summer. Hayward will be back, if not by the playoffs (probably not) than by the 2018-19 season opener. There’s a tough decision to make on the inexplicable Marcus Smart this summer, but Irving, Horford, Hayward, Tatum, and Jaylen Brown are locked up.
The Raptors are up for the challenge — seriously, Toronto is really good — and James will be heard from before all is said and done. Boston has typically overperformed their talent in the regular season and faltered in the postseason (albeit before landing Irving).
But dominance of the East is there for the taking. It can start now. Are the Celtics ready for this?
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