It’s “finals” time for the Boston Celtics.
No, not these Finals — not but anyway.
The upcoming seven-game homestand for the Celtics would possibly as properly be their ultimate examination for the common season. It’s onerous to imagine we’ve already reached the house stretch of the 2024-25 marketing campaign, however we’re right here.
Over the following 12 days or so, the Cs will face their final actual assessments of the yr — earlier than the playoffs, that’s.
Like all exams, there will likely be completely different sections. In fact, there would be the simpler multiple-choice portion.
This can include video games in opposition to lower-tier opponents just like the Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Path Blazers, and Utah Jazz. These are all video games that Boston SHOULD win, however you may’t be too positive with the inconsistencies that they’ve proven at dwelling this season.
After a league-best dwelling report of 37-4 final yr, the Cs are presently 18-10 at TD Backyard. Whereas that won’t appear too outrageous, it’s felt a lot worse as of late. Over their final 14 on the parquet, the Celtics have gained as many as they’ve misplaced.
What’s been much more irritating is that they’ve fallen flat in opposition to groups that they had been closely favored in opposition to. Losses to the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, and Atlanta Hawks all left followers disillusioned as they left North Station.
This current commonplace simply isn’t ok for a workforce of this caliber. Positive, they’ve been distinctive on the street at 24-7, however there’s a cause why dwelling courtroom benefit is given to greater seeds within the playoffs.
It’s imagined to imply one thing.
Sadly, that hasn’t actually been the case for Boston over the previous few postseasons. Since Brad Stevens moved into the entrance workplace in the summertime of 2021, they’ve gained 20 of 34 doable playoff video games at TD Backyard.
They did, nevertheless, handle to construct off of their unbelievable common season final spring, once they gained 9 of 11 at TD Backyard en path to Banner 18.
It will good to see them re-establish that very same degree of dominance at dwelling over the following few weeks.
For what it’s value, the Celtics have proven up for greater degree marquee dwelling video games this season. They’ve gone a mixed 8-1 in opposition to different Japanese Convention playoff groups (the top-6, now that we’ve received the Play-In Match).
They’ll have an opportunity to guard the parquet in matchups in opposition to different contenders just like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder headlining the homestand.
We’ve now reached the essay part of the ultimate examination. To ensure that Boston to succeed, they’ll have to come back ready. All 4 of those squads have been taking part in unbelievable ball as of late — even the Lakers, sadly. Over their final 10 video games, every of those groups has gained at the least eight video games.
Boston is catching all of them at their greatest, that’s for positive.
A win in Friday’s recreation in opposition to the Cavs would clinch the regular-season collection for Boston. To this point, the Cs have gained two out of three in opposition to the Japanese Convention’s No. 1 seed and have performed them in addition to anybody.
It in the end doesn’t imply something, however clinching the season collection would give the Celtics a pleasant edge over Cleveland heading into a possible playoff collection — possibly not sufficient for a tiebreaker on the prime of the East, however at the least a psychological one.
Denver is the one workforce of the bunch that hasn’t crushed the reigning champs this season. Granted, they had been with out three-time MVP Nikola Jokic for the matchup within the Mile-Excessive Metropolis.
The Celtics haven’t crushed the Nuggets in a recreation the place Jokic has performed since late 2022. With there being a good risk that Denver comes out of the West, it could be good to see Boston win one in opposition to the Joker.
Talking of profitable one, it felt just like the Cs can be doing simply that in OKC again in January in opposition to the Thunder. Joe Mazzulla’s workforce put collectively what should be their most spectacular half of the season solely to go ice chilly within the second half. The Thunder took full benefit of a season-worst 24 minutes from Boston and pulled away.
The rematch on March 12 is undoubtedly going to have a ton of hype heading into it, and deservedly so. These two groups are each the favorites to win their respective conferences and will likely be hoping to see one another in June.
By the way in which, if you wish to discuss hype, look no additional than Luka Doncic’s first go to to North Station as a member of the Lakers (and in addition his first since being dominated within the Finals final June). Anytime we get to see Celtics-Lakers, it’s going to be a giant deal, even when the 2 groups aren’t contenders. With each of them being within the combine this yr, the power within the constructing must be unbelievable.
I don’t know what my expectations must be for this. With Boston’s roster being what it’s, I naively suppose they need to be capable to win each recreation they play. Is that reasonable throughout this homestand?
In all probability not, however no matter, 7-0 or bust.
We journey.
