4. Boston Celtics
Currently the second-best team in the East at 26-11, the C’s have seen the consistent emergence of Jaylen Brown and the offensive explosion of Jayson Tatum this season make selecting their prior off-season draft lottery selections look ingenious instead of combustible. From a matchup perspective versus Milwaukee, their lack of size wouldn’t completely destroy them here like it would versus the Sixers since the bucks use their bigs as means to stretch the floor for Giannis to attack inside.
Their switchability on the wing with Brown, Tatum, and even Marcus Smart can apply pressure on the ball from the outside in the halfcourt. Then there’s the patented “form a wall philosophy” that Stevens incorporated last year vs. Playoff Giannis that worked for a game and faded later in the series. For sure hell be willing to incorporate that come playoff time yet again.
However, the team’s main struggle last season was forming a system of offensive fluidity that the team could depend on in the postseason moments. With their young wings developing behind the steady play of Kemba Walker as a scorer (21.5 PPG) and from 3 (39.9%) they have an offensive identity and flexibility. This can provide a legit chance to knock the bucks off their current conference throne come playoff time