NBA Playoff Power Rankings: Is It Smart To Sleep On The Oklahoma City Thunder?

8. Boston Celtics (0-1)

Losing Avery Bradley for the series will definitely hurt. However, more than anything, the Celtics realized in the second half of Game 1 that they can compete with the Hawks. As long as Boston is playing at a high level on the defensive game, they’re always going to have a shot.

Just think of it, the Celtics were down 19. They couldn’t hit anything. In the second half, they played defense, were more active on the break and their shots began to fall. They momentarily took a second half lead before making some mental mistakes, which led to their loss, down the stretch.

We knew that Boston’s depth was going to be tested in this series. With the assumption that they’re going to be without Bradley for at the very least the foreseeable future, it’s going to be interesting to see who steps up in his absence.

Next: Atlanta Hawks