Why this 2-game winning streak has me scared - but still holding out hope


The Boston Celtics have started their first winning streak in over a month, pulling out home victories over the Nets and Pistons this past weekend. "The streak" has dropped the Celts from having the fourth-highest lottery odds into a three-way-tie for fifth-highest (Boston currently appears as the seventh-worst team in the NBA standings) -- not a small deal as Mike Dyer explained in 'Wiggins Watch.'

Boston has looked great in their two recent wins, especially over Detroit. Don't get me wrong, watching Rajon Rondo dish out 18 assists without committing a single turnover was promising. . . for Rondo and the 2014-15 Celtics. But we don't need to see it this season! Look how much damage simply stringing together back-to-back wins just did to Boston's lottery odds.

What's scary? Boston could keep a winning streak intact, or at least remain hot.

The Celtics play in Indiana Tuesday night, which sounds tougher than it is right now. Remember, it was a very close game that came down to the wire when the Pacers recently played in Boston, and Indiana enters this game riding a four-game losing streak. Wednesday the Celtics will return home to face the disastrous New York Knicks. Need I say more about the Knicks?

See why this is scary now? Could you imagine where a four-game winning streak could land this team? Boston would find themselves with only the eighth or ninth best lottery odds.

But I have held out hope. The Pacers should be determined to get back to their winning ways and finish the final month of the season strong. Boston is the perfect team for them to get rolling against. The Knicks are a tougher sell, but Boston will be playing the second night of a back-to-back, which not only allows for potential tired legs, but means no Rondo.

As fast as I've talked myself into extending the winning streak, I've now talked myself into starting a new losing streak. This is just how the Celtics season seems to be going, we have no clue what is going to happen. All options are in play.

However, if you think Celtic losses are better than wins down the stretch like me (and if you think wins are better please enlighten me) then this will make you feel better. 11 out of 19 games remaining for Boston are against teams with a record over .500. As Mike pointed out in 'Wiggins Watch', 11 of 19 games will also be played on the road -- two of those games will be against the West where the C's are yet to win this season (0-13). And finally, Rajon Rondo is going to sit out on the second night of remaining back-to-backs, meaning he will miss a minimum of five more games this season.

So for the last time, yes I am scared that this team may finish with too many wins for their own good. But I am also still holding out hope that they can finish as close to my pre-season prediction of 24 wins as possible. They will if they know what's best for them.

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