The regular season is winding to a close.
Now, Celtics fans should turn their attention to the middle of the Eastern standings.
The introduction of the Play-in tournament has not been Adam Silver’s most popular move.
The Celtics have benefited from teams like the Heat and Magic limping out of the playoffs, giving them an easy first-round matchup. However, this year will not be the case.
Today, I’ll rank the three potential teams on how scared I would be for the Celtics to face them, as well as their head-to-head record with the C’s this year.
The three teams mentioned are due to the 82nd game affecting the squads listed below.
3) Orlando Magic // Record Against Celtics – 1-2
This team lacks a true offensive engine needed to make a playoff run. Despite giving us a chippy series last year, the Celtics should not fear Orlando this season. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner form an unusual wing duo that sometimes doesn’t flow together.
Defensively, they lack a true interior defender, creating massive openings for slashing. I like this matchup for the Celtics as well; Tatum has played well historically against Banchero. I am scared to say this could be a sweep, so I’ll say Celtics in five.
2) Philadelphia 76ers // Record Against Celtics – 2-2
Credit: Boston Celtics-Twitter/XThe Celtics and their old rivals, the 76ers, always bring flair to their playoff meetings. This year, it would be more lopsided. Joel Embiid is currently on the IR for appendicitis but is expected to play come round one. While he has not lived up to his MVP self, he is still a force to be reckoned with and one of Neemias Queta’s biggest challenges.
The backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe will force a high-speed style of play that Derrick White and Jaylen Brown are adept at adjusting to. My main concerns for this series would be Maxey getting on a hot streak or our bigs getting bullied by Embiid and veteran Andre Drummond on the boards.
1) Toronto Raptors // Record Against Celtics – 0-4
You might look at that record and question why I have the Raptors above the Magic and 76ers. Our games against the Raps were won by an average margin of 12 points, yet felt close. I’ve been a big fan of their offseason moves and felt like one of the only defenders of the Brandon Ingram acquisition. Toronto has taken a great leap this year and feels solid on both sides of the floor. Their offense can feel stagnant at times; if BI gets the ball, the possession usually ends in a jumper. Poeltl is a walking double-double, and I would love to see his matchup against Queta.
They are a tall team but can also switch to a small-ball lineup with rookie Collin Murray-Boyles at the 5. They are a young, rising team, but to me, it comes down to their offense running through an iso scorer in Ingram or an inconsistent shooter like Scottie Barnes, who pushes the Celtics over the edge.
Do These Teams Pose a Threat to the Celtics?
I think the Cs should skate through the first round in no more than 6 games. All three teams are younger squads without major playoff experience and lack the defensive infrastructure to handle the Celtics multifaceted approach.
Even the Raptors, by far the stoutest defense team listed, struggles on the perimeter.
