The Celtics have had the 7th most difficult Strength of Schedule (espn)

[Gant]

As of this moment, after the Golden State game, the Celtics have played the 7th most difficult schedule according to ESPN. This will drop soon as the next few opponents are easier.

http://www.espn.com/nba/stats/rpi/_/sort/SOS

They have also moved to the top in RPI, which ranks them for the first time as the league's best team adjusted for schedule. (Relative Percent Index: The basic formula is 25% team winning percentage, 50% opponents' average winning percentage, and 25% opponents' opponents' average winning percentage.)

http://www.espn.com/nba/stats/rpi

[yeahM8]

Stats are getting too out of control.

[radcot]

As of this moment, after the Golden State game, the Celtics have played the 7th most difficult schedule according to ESPN. This will drop soon as the next few opponents are easier.

http://www.espn.com/nba/stats/rpi/_/sort/SOS

They have also moved to the top in RPI, which ranks them for the first time as the league's best team adjusted for schedule. (Relative Percent Index: The basic formula is 25% team winning percentage, 50% opponents' average winning percentage, and 25% opponents' opponents' average winning percentage.)

http://www.espn.com/nba/stats/rpi

Appreciate your (and ConstableGeneva's) dogged persistence in combatting bias with fact. It's a thankless job, but somebody's got to do it.

[timpiker]

and I just read an article the other day from some ass-hat stating the win streak was because we had the league's easiest schedule...thanks

[Green89]

and I just read an article the other day from some ass-hat stating the win streak was because we had the league's easiest schedule...thanks

My first guess would be Barkley, but then I quickly realized he isn't capable of writing an article. Verbally, he said the exact same thing last night.

[a_penguin]

Weird, all I've been told is that we have an easy schedule so our streak is meaningless. I mean we've only beaten OKC, SA, Golden State, and Toronto during this streak so when are we going to face some real competition?

[Lovegun]

Fake news, Sir Charles said we stink and beat nobody. Also beating Golden State means nothing. We have to beat Toronto first, oh wait

[Smitty731]

and I just read an article the other day from some ass-hat stating the win streak was because we had the league's easiest schedule...thanks

In fairness, one or two good teams hop on a schedule and all of a sudden it pushes it way up the ladder in terms of SOS. This is more or less what happened with Boston.

But the real thing that gets missed is that this isn't college football or basketball. Everyone plays everyone an almost equal amount of times. Teams don't make their own schedules. You play the games you have and if you win them, you should get credit. Sure, it can help inform some future thinking, but that is about it.

[ConstableGeneva]

and I just read an article the other day from some ass-hat stating the win streak was because we had the league's easiest schedule...thanks

In fairness, one or two good teams hop on a schedule and all of a sudden it pushes it way up the ladder in terms of SOS. This is more or less what happened with Boston.

But the real thing that gets missed is that this isn't college football or basketball. Everyone plays everyone an almost equal amount of times. Teams don't make their own schedules. You play the games you have and if you win them, you should get credit. Sure, it can help inform some future thinking, but that is about it.

Yep, there isn't a vast disparity between teams' SOS. And when people say, "eh, Boston plays in the East", well so far East teams have been beating the West teams more than they have in the past. There are also currently more above-.500 teams in the East.

I could swear nba.com's John Schuhmann had us with the 2nd easiest schedule entering this week. Getting TOR and GSW out of the way moved us up. That's how volatile SOS is I think esp in early days.

[DarkAzcura]

SOS arguments is one of the silliest things to hold against a team, especially when you are already 20% through the season.

[tfmiii]

As posted by someone on another thread, not sure strength of schedule means much this time of year, quirks like back to back games, extended breaks to work out chemistry kinks may play a larger role especially with most teams motivated at this time of year.

For example, per the link provided supposedly LAL have had a harder schedule than us(!) and they are about to play Phoenix for the 3rd time in 16 games.... two of them with Phoenix travelling for 2nd game of a back to back!! Two of their six wins are against Phoenix, that must be rough!

Don't think many teams would do well during our month of a game at least every other day, certainly not as well as we have

[theman]

Streak consists of beating:

76ers - bad team 8-6
Knicks - bad team 8-6
Bucks - Good team, bad coach 8-6
Heat- bad Team 6-8
Spurs - Good Team 9-6
Kings - bad Team 3-11
Thunder - Good (?) team 7-7
Magic - bad Team 8-7
Hawks - bad Team 3-12
Lakers - bad Team 6-9
Hornets - bad Team 5-8
Raptors - Good Team 9-5
Nets - bad Team 5-9
Warriors - Good Team 11-4

Combined record of opponents beaten: 96-104

I see 5 good teams and 9 Bad teams.

How many good teams are in the league? 7-14.
Good: Celtics, Wizards, Raptors, Cavs, Rockets, Warriors, Spurs

Maybe good: Detroit, Bucks, 76ers, Wolves, Blazers, Nuggets, Thunder