Celtics Rise In Bleacher Report’s Latest NBA Power Rankings originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Only the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder ranked higher than the Boston Celtics in Bleacher Report’s new NBA power rankings, published Friday by BR’s Andy Bailey.
Advertisement
That’s right, the Celtics rose to the No. 3 spot after being No. 4 last week, despite Boston losing two games this week to the Spurs and Thunder, both contests coming on the road.
“The Boston Celtics went 2-2 this week,” Bailey wrote. “They’re still in second place in the East. Whatever.”
“The real story for this team (and one of the biggest ones for any team this entire season) was the return of Jayson Tatum.”
Advertisement
“And though some of his possessions have looked a bit stiffer than the pre-Achilles tear Tatum we’ve come to know over his nearly a decade in the spotlight, it’s obvious that he’ll be a thoroughly helpful player by the postseason,” Bailer continued. “That makes Boston perhaps the most interesting potential Oklahoma City Thunder challenger in the league.”
“Sure, Boston lost to OKC on Thursday, but Tatum missed that game, and the Celtics kept it close without him,” Bailey added. “If, by the time we reach a Finals matchup between these two times, Tatum is back to being able to play 30-35 minutes consistently, Boston is capable of winning that seven-game series.”
The Celtics are now 43-23 on the season. Their next three games are at home: Saturday against the Washington Wizards, Monday against the Phoenix Suns, and Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors.
More NBA: Bleacher Report Points To Three Offseason Trade Targets For Celtics