The Celtics survived Q1; are they back where they should be?
Can you remember the feeling? The four horsemen were emerging from the horizon and the glow of the apocalyptic flames indicated the end of days. We were almost at the quarter point of the 2018-2019 NBA season and the hotly-tipped Boston Celtics were at .500. Such dread.
Fans expressed their dismay on Twitter, journalists crafted their takes, bars around the city rang with the sound of debate and even the CelticsLife comments section showcased a serious amount of premature doubt. Some were calling for trades; others were vehemently demanding patience.
Inarguably, although they were reintegrating two All-Stars, establishing roles and making significant adjustments to their rotation, Boston just didn’t look to have it early on this season. However, things have looked much brighter in the last week or so, with certain sticking points resolving themselves organically. Could the five consecutive recent wins mean that it’s finally coming together?
Don't look now, but Boston is now 15-10 and up to 5th place in the Eastern Conference, only 2 games off the pace for the two seed.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) December 9, 2018
Tonight's blowout of Chicago also pushed Boston's point differential to +7.4, which is good for third best in the NBA behind Milwaukee and Toronto.
Of course, with the Milwaukee Bucks beating Toronto last night, Boston are just 3 back in losses from the top seed. It’s not just any run though. While the historic victory against the Chicago Bulls may inflate the number, the team’s current point differential is nothing to scoff at.
The teams on this list won an average of 63.5 games. pic.twitter.com/5ARfZIamTK
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) December 9, 2018
As Terry Rozier said, we probably were all very annoying when the team were losing, but that my friends, is sports. The season will be a rollercoaster and you can likely count on more ultimately inconsequential trade chatter, but trust me - the world will continue to turn.
VOTE:
They’re on a nice run, but are the Celtics where they should be with this roster yet?
— Josh Coyne (@poundcoyne) December 10, 2018
Follow Josh Coyne on Twitter at @poundcoyne
Photo via Maddie Meyer/Getty Images