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Boston Celtics: 3 goals following 2019 NBA All-Star break

By Joe Hagen

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 12: Marcus Morris #13 of the Boston Celtics reacts after the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 12, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 112-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 12: Marcus Morris #13 of the Boston Celtics reacts after the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 12, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 112-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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1. Make a push for the 2-seed

At this point, it seems like Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are a runaway freight train in the Eastern Conference. Any four of the East’s elite teams has a pretty good shot at any other in a seven-game series, but it seems like Milwaukee will escape the season with the best record.

While the coveted 1 seed may not be attainable, there is no reason the Boston Celtics should not set their sights on the Toronto Raptors and the 2-seed.

This is not to say Boston has an easier road to reaching the 2-seed than Toronto does to holding it, however. Quite the opposite, in fact.

The Boston Celtics have the sixth-most difficult remaining schedule in the entire NBA with an opponent win percentage of .526, and the Raptors have the league’s easiest stretch of games left (.450 opponent win percentage).

Boston’s direct competition for the 2-seed is the Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers, barring Milwaukee really skidding en route to the playoffs.

Indiana, while a great overall team, has a high chance of falling out of this race. Without team leader Victor Oladipo, the Pacers just do not have the talent to make a competitive push for the Eastern Conference’s 2-seed.

Philadelphia, on the other hand, has nothing but talent. The Sixers’ starting five is as loaded as it gets for any unit, but their lack of depth and roster chemistry could potentially come back to bite them. They should make a valiant push, but there are still too many holes in this roster that need shoring up before they can legitimately crown themselves in the East.

The biggest non-Milwaukee threat on the season has been and remains the Toronto Raptors. With a well-balanced, talented, versatile lineup, Toronto can realistically matchup with every team in the league.

In the newly competitive Eastern Conference, seeding is more important than ever. Neither team can afford losing out on home-court advantage in the postseason.

Next. Week 19 NBA Power Rankings. dark

In what is sure to be an uphill battle, the Celtics have the talent and intangibles to challenge and ultimately take the 2-seed from Toronto. The Raptors have serious skill, but Boston has spent this season and the last few years working to prove it is the team to beat in the East.

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