Do the Celtics have a good chance of making the 2018 Finals?

[hookshot199]

What do u wanna bet that if our starting 5 is healthy we win the first round. I'm open. Holla at me.

Agree 100%. The problem is whether it's reasonable to expect both Horford and IT to play injury-free and, in the case of IT, to have another career year. Secondly, Horford is 31 and, it's not clear to many of us, if he's durable enough to play center anymore. But if they're both healthy: first round absolutely.

IT has been one of the healthiest players in the league. He rarely misses games and Horford aside from some freak injuries has been able to play as well(shoulder injury that put him out for a season ?)..

Point taken. I think you're expecting too much from Horford given his age. He had several really good games during the playoffs, but was also completely outplayed in several games. Re IT: I have my theory about little guys who play with reckless abandon. He's a gutsy player.

[Vibranium]

LBJ will be 33 next year lol. this cant last forever

Cavs won 4-1, even with the addition of Gordon Hayward and a year older Lebron you really think his dropoff would be that significant that they lose to the Celtics in 7 games or 6?

[Avalanche]

Are they more likely to beat the Cavs than anyone in the West is of beating the Warriors?

That would make them the third most likely team to reach the finals, so while they would be outsiders in a series, I'd say that's a relatively good chance.. depending on your definition

I'd say they are a trade or a cavs injury away this season, but still

[JGOJustin]

They certainly have a chance.

Whenever you don't have the best player in a series you'll always be behind the 8 ball, but they are in a great position to take advantage of any slippage from LBJ and the Cavs.

The Cavs were the worst defensive team in the league and relied almost exclusively on supernova LBJ to carry them through the playoffs. If he slips even a little bit, Boston has a real shot at it.

The issue is that the Celtics aren't overwhelmingly better than Washington or Toronto.

[Don Draper]

I think it depends how quickly Brown and Tatum progress throughout the season.

[Romeiro Celtic]

As a Celtics fan I'd like to say yes, but considering all the changes on our roster and the current chemestry I can't say that. We'd have to wait and see.

[nbafan38]

Are they more likely to beat the Cavs than anyone in the West is of beating the Warriors?

That would make them the third most likely team to reach the finals, so while they would be outsiders in a series, I'd say that's a relatively good chance.. depending on your definition

I'd say they are a trade or a cavs injury away this season, but still

Yes but it's like 5% vs 1% so it really doesn't matter, Celtics would need a miracle to get out of the east still. Next year may be different, Lebron may be out of Cleveland or eventually he'll decline. The Celtics are in good position to make many finals over the next several years but not yet this year.

[SCHeat]

I could see it. 10-15% chance. Lebron can't win forever

[Ballerhogger]

No.

[Smithers]

Nope. Cavs are still the team to beat & I actually think the Wiz have a better chance than Boston. The celtics have a lot of nice young pieces but those guys won't contribute to actually winning games.

[OdomFan]

no but they have a shot to make it in 2008. KG, Allen and Pierce? yep that's unstoppable.

[Higgs Boston]

Nope. Cavs are still the team to beat & I actually think the Wiz have a better chance than Boston. The celtics have a lot of nice young pieces but those guys won't contribute to actually winning games.

Celtics won the series against wizards, and the current team is better. The only important player celtics lost is bradley, the other players are garbage.

Hayward better than bradley
Morris better than olynyk
Baynes, zizic, theis, yabusele, nader better than amir, jerebko, zeller

And after add tatum, brown's second year,

[smallgains]

I don't think they could even beat the Raptors in a series. So, probably not is the answer.

[Smithers]

celtics beat the Wiz in 7, so it's not like it was an overly convincing series win...& honestly Washington should've won that series. Boston added Hayward who's obviously a nice piece but we don't know how he's going to fit in there & the loss of Bradley is huge. Washington is a better put together team & I think their guys are still young enough but mature enough to take the next step. Boston is still a few years away.

[Tai]

celtics beat the Wiz in 7, so it's not like it was an overly convincing series win...& honestly Washington should've won that series. Boston added Hayward who's obviously a nice piece but we don't know how he's going to fit in there & the loss of Bradley is huge. Washington is a better put together team & I think their guys are still young enough but mature enough to take the next step. Boston is still a few years away.

As I said before, part of the thing people claimed was wrong with the Celtics last season is they had depth but weren't top-heavy, so they'd rake in the regular season and struggle in the playoffs. Well, they switched out Bradley for Hayward, and got Morris in the Bradley trade. That's depth in Morris that replaces Olynyk while at worst being the same top-heavy wise with Hayward, but in reality probably much better; the Celtics wanted Hayward for reasons. That doesn't even include guys like Baynes, Tatum, or a 2nd year Brown. They still have Rozier and Smart, guys who people thought would be gone one way or another in a trade. Are the Wizards a really more "better put together" team than what the C's have now?

[dautjazz]

LBJ will be 33 next year lol. this cant last forever

He just averaged a triple double in the NBA finals, surely he has a few more good years

[Pennebaker]

Slim chance, not a good chance.

[baldur]

I could see it. 10-15% chance. Lebron can't win forever

Can't win forever but only 10 percent chance for the celtics. Probably Lebron will win until his retirement then.

[Higgs Boston]

celtics beat the Wiz in 7, so it's not like it was an overly convincing series win...& honestly Washington should've won that series. Boston added Hayward who's obviously a nice piece but we don't know how he's going to fit in there & the loss of Bradley is huge. Washington is a better put together team & I think their guys are still young enough but mature enough to take the next step. Boston is still a few years away.

Summary

Last year
Celtics: beat wizards with an injured thomas.
Wizards: lost in 7 games against celtics.

The series
Game 1: celtics win, celtics deserved it
Game 2: celtics win, wizards deserved it.
Game 3: wizards win, wizards deserved it
Game 4: wizards win, wizards deserved it
Game 5: celtics win, celtics deserved it.
Game 6: wizards win: celtics deserved it.
Game 7: celtics win, celtics deserved it.

Celtics was better in 4 games. So no, wizards should not have won the series. Celtics deserved the win.

Young and Mature thing
The main celtics players have a similar age to wizards's. Just check it.

This year
Celtics: are rather better unless thomas's injury makes him rather worse.
Wizards: are slightly better, they got some decent bench players, the lack of depth was one of their main weaknesses.


So how can you say something like "Boston is still a few years away"? Makes no sense. I can understand if you say celtics and wizards are still in the same tier, but "Boston is still a few years away"? WTH.

[Johnny Firpo]

LBJ will be 33 next year lol. this cant last forever

It won't last forever, but there is very little chance it will stop next year.