2021 NBA Playoffs: Contender or pretender with all 16 teams

2021 NBA Playoffs: Contender or Pretender – Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics should be a contender. They have been in the Eastern Conference Finals two of the last three seasons, they have five reliable perimeter players and a respected head coach. Jayson Tatum is an All-NBA candidate, and he dropped a 50 spot in his last game.

Unfortunately, that is not the narrative for this team. They stumbled to the finish line this season, disappointing early and late and landing as the seventh seed with a .500 record. Jaylen Brown made his first All-Star game but will also miss the postseason with an injury. Kemba Walker is his old self just once every few games. The Celtics’ centers are undersized, injured or traded to the Chicago Bulls to save money.

Falling to seventh also means the Celtics have to start their playoff journey playing the Brooklyn Nets, who at long last seem to have their stars healthy and ready to go. A healthy Celtics team might be one of the best in the league at guarding all three: put Marcus Smart on James Harden, Brown on Kyrie Irving and Tatum on Kevin Durant. Yet with Brown out that means either Evan Fournier or Walker have to check an All-NBA guard, a problem for the Celtics.

Perhaps this is a one-season wobble, and next year the Celtics will have a healthy Brown and Walker, with Fournier a versatile 6th man. Robert Williams will be a year older and more ready for the big stage. This season, however, a run to the title is not in the cards.

Verdict: Pretender