2011 NBA Playoff Predictions: Roadblocks to a Championship for Boston Celtics
It could be said that the Boston Celtics (55-26) are "limping" into the postseason. As was the case last season, the C's are losers of three of their last four games, as they will attempt to prove the last stretch of the season isn't representative of their worth as a contender in the postseason.
Their losing ways have had a once first-place team drop two spots going into the NBA playoffs.
The reigning Eastern Conference champions will arguably have as tough or tougher a road to the 2011 NBA Finals, as the East boasts several streaking teams and new talents this season.
As the case with the East, the Western Conference also boasts its share of talented ball clubs featuring the streaking Oklahoma City Thunder (55-26) led by the NBA's leading scorer Kevin Durant or a surging Dallas Mavericks (56-25) team.
In seasons past the Celtics have proved their worth time and time again, rising to the occasion despite sub-par finishes to the regular season. A team that has had two finals appearances in the last four seasons has a plethora of experience to lean on.
Here are the eight biggest potential roadblocks the Celtics could have to take down in hopes to take home an 18th NBA championship this postseason.
No. 8: Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks
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Really? The New York Knicks? Their barely .500, for once.
You'd be surprised at what these Knicks have accomplished as of late.
Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks (42-38) have been streaking as of late, winning the last seven games. The streak ties the Chicago Bulls (60-20) for the longest active streak in the league going into the last games of the regular season.
Once losers of nine of 10 games, it would seem that Anthony and the Knicks have turned the page of their losing ways. Just before the seven game win streak the Knicks were losers of six in a row.
With the Eastern Conference playoffs already set, the Celtics and Knicks will officially be a first-round matchup.
Being the number one team in the league defensively, the third-seed Celtics should be able to handle the surging Knicks team. This season the Celtics are undefeated in three games against them, winning two of the three on the road.
The C's should pass this particular roadblock, but any team that wins seven games in a row and has two of the top five scorers in the league—Anthony (3) and Amare Stoudemire (5)—should be given their due.
No. 7: The Denver Nuggets
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The Denver Nuggets (50-31) will be anything but a "walk-in-the-park" for any team to face this NBA playoffs.
Since making the trade that got rid of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, a team that some thought would drop out of the playoffs have been playing arguably the best basketball in the league as of late. The Nuggets are 18-6 since giving up a top talent in Anthony and acquiring Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mosgov in the blockbuster deal with the Knicks.
Add in talents like Kenyon Martin, Ty Lawson, J.R. Smith and an up and coming Nene Hilario to the mix, and there are problems for teams that face the Nuggets.
Although the C's wouldn't have to worry about the Nuggets or any West elite team until the NBA Finals, facing a team like the Nuggets would be a tough matchup for Boston. At the point guard there is young, explosive talent, as well as a team that overall can run the transition game as effectively as any in the NBA.
A C's and Nuggets matchup would arguably make for one of the more dynamic, fast-paced NBA Finals, with the C's owning the slighter edge. This season the Celtics are 1-1 against the Nuggets, yet they are 0-1 against the new-look "Kn-uggets" team after the trade.
No. 6: The Philadelphia 76ers
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There is an unsung hero in Philadelphia, as for once it's not just Andre Iguodala running the show in the city of brotherly love. Other players like the young Jrue Holiday has had the Philadelphia 76ers (41-40) playing winning basketball, as the team nearly landed a sixth seed in the postseason.
With a first round meeting with the Miami Heat, the Sixers starting rotation will undoubtedly have its hands full from the get go. Yet with their winning ways as of late, they may well give the Heat a six or seven game series.
The team runs one of the better transition games in the league and rebound the ball well. Their presence in the front-court with Elton Brand, Thaddeus Young and Marreese Speights give the Sixers one of the more athletic and better rebounding tandems in the East. It's arguable that they offer more depth and size down low than do the Miami Heat.
Supposing the Philadelphia 76ers overcome the heavily favored Miami Heat, they would provide a roadblock for the Celtics in that the transition game is the biggest weakness for Boston. Getting back on defense in the transition game can be a problem at times for the C's, as the Heat exposed in abeat-down of the Celtics earlier this week.
It would be assumed that the Boston Celtics are capable of managing a series against the 76ers if they are to meet in the second round. They would more than likely take the series, as tough defense on the perimeter, big play inside from Garnett and kick-outs to Pierce and Allen would likely leave the Sixers without answers.
Yet beware of the streaking Sixers, they are playing their best basketball in the last month of basketball.
No. 5: San Antonio Spurs
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A San Antonio Spurs-Boston Celtics NBA Finals matchup would be a potential roadblock for more obvious reasons.
For one, the San Antonio Spurs are the NBA's best team in the record books going 61-19 this season with just two games remaining in the regular season. They are also led by veterans who have won several titles in the last decade in Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.
They also have a potential Coach of the Year contender in Greg Popovich, who has led the aging Spurs to arguably their best season since taking the job in 1997.
However, much like the Celtics, the Spurs offer three All-Star veterans with a bench of solid role players that buy into the system of a half-court set basketball on offense and discipline defensive play. In looking at their even matchup, it's likely a potential matchup between the two would take seven games.
No. 4: Oklahoma City Thunder
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The Oklahoma City Thunder could arguably be the most difficult team that the Boston Celtics could face from the field of 16 teams.
Lucky for the Celtics it wouldn't happen until the NBA Finals.
The Thunder are good at what the C's tend to have the most trouble stopping. They run the ball down the court, get to the foul-line, and rebound especially well. Their 82.4 percent average from the free-throw line is the best in basketball, while averaging the fifth-most points per game in the league at 104.8 a contest.
With the NBA's leading scorer in Kevin Durant leading the way, a matchup with the Thunder could make life difficult for Paul Pierce and the Celtics—not to mention the young talent in Russel Westbrook has been playing arguably some of the best basketball of any point-guard in the league along with Chicago's Derrick Rose.
Rajon Rondo has shown his elite play at the point-guard position as well this season, yet Westbrook's high free-throw percentage and ability to get to the foul-strike will make life difficult for Rondo. Expect an exciting final if the two were to meet, with solid defense and rebounding being key for the C's in trying to close out the Thunder.
Note: Perkins will be hungry for revenge against his former Boston Celtics, as his presence in Oklahoma City has helped the Thunder play much improved defense.
No. 3: Los Angeles Lakers
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They may have lost five straight, and may be what many call "limping into the postseason."
But hey, it's the thing to do for veteran ball clubs like the Los Angeles Lakers. Just look at the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs—these teams are doing just the same.
Phil Jackson might have his postseason disappointment speeches while calling out his team for lack of motivation, but the Lakers are still the Lakers. Winning the last two NBA Championships is enough reason to give Kobe Bryant and company the honor of the biggest roadblock for the Celtics coming out of the West.
They match up quite well with the Celtics, as Paul Pierce pairs with Ron Artest, Ray Allen with Bryant, Rajon Rondo with Derek Fisher, and then Gasol with Garnett at the power forward spot. Bynum easily takes the cake at the center spot, as the Celtics don't exactly pose a consistent threat at the position since losing Kendrick Perkins.
Bench-wise the teams are quite similar, with depth that ranks with the best of them in the league. The two teams have met in the NBA Finals two of the last three seasons, including the Lakers Game 7 victory over the C's last season. Rebounding was key for the Lakers in the victory, as was a stellar second-half performance from Bryant offensively.
As they are in the West, they aren't the greatest of roadblocks, but will make the Celtics work their tail off in the paint on both ends. If the Celtics can get into rhythm offensively from the perimeter and clean up the glass well on defense, expect another classic NBA Finals in what would be a third match-up in four seasons between the two teams.
No. 2: The Miami Heat
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After locking-up a second seed in the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat (57-24) will look to make noise this postseason. A first-round matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers should heavily favor the Heat to win, despite hot play from the 76ers as of late.
Earlier this week the Heat demolished the Celtics in South Beach, beating the Celtics 100-77 in what was statistically their worst loss of the season. With the C's hopes of a second-seed crushed, the Heat made it a statement game, as they avoided a 4-0 sweep in the season series.
With this last statement win, along with the play of two of the league's top talents in Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, the Heat will be a team to reckon with. Despite beating the Heat three of four games this season, the Celtics have much to prove after their last meeting.
The Heat have been red hot, wining six of their last seven games while beating both the Celtics and Atlanta Hawks in the process—not to mention that many forget they boast one of the elite defenses in the league, ranking seventh in the league.
Despite their sub-par play as of late, veteran play from the Celtics should give them the experience they need to give the Heat a tough playoff series. The Heat will have to utilize their athleticism and transition game to break-down the defense of the Celtics. The Celtics, on the other hand, must slow the Heat's fast-break game down, while looking for favorable one-on-one looks with Garnett in the block on Bosh on the offensive end.
No. 1: The Chicago Bulls
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Can you smell...what D-Rose...is cookin'?
The Chicago Bulls (61-20) have been just short of stellar this season, clinching the top-seed in the East and the second-best record in the league. In their most recent matchup with Boston, the Bulls won handily 97-81.
What many don't know is that these Bulls get it done as well as any team in the league on the defensive end, grabbing the second-most rebounds and allowing the second-fewest points in the league a game. Led by projected Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau, the Bulls defense has been reminiscent of the defensive scheme of the Boston Celtics themselves, as Thibodeau was an assistant with the Celtics from 2007-2010.
What many also don't know is that Thubodeau had the Houston Rockets as one of the top five defensive teams in the league from 2003 to 2007, before joining the Boston Celtics.
Derrick Rose has been as crafty and dominating as any player in the league this season, getting it done in nearly every aspect of his game. His 86.2 percent from the free-throw line is 10 percent better than his previous career-best, while ranking ninth in the league in made free-throws per game (5.9). Rose adds 25.1 points per game to the mix while averaging 27 points and seven assists per game this month.
At age 22, Rose would be the youngest player to win MVP in NBA history.
The Celtics will have their hands full if Rose has his way at the offensive end. His ability to split initial defenders and kick out to Luol Deng, Ronnie Brewer, and Kyle Korver have teams lost on the defensive end—not to mention the pick and roll game with Carlos Boozer could easily have Garnett and the frontcourt searching hard for answers.
If Rondo can limit Rose's time around the paint, the Celtics will gain an evident advantage. The Celtics have the offensive ability and playoff experience to overcome a tough Bulls defense. If Rose gets his way, as he did in their last meeting, it will be long series for Kevin Garnett and the C's.
As the potential meeting would have to be an Eastern Conference Finals matchup, the stage would be set for a great one to watch.
