CelticsBlog roundtable: Celtics’ biggest threat in the East

Now that the Boston Celtics have climbed the mountain within the Japanese Convention and made the NBA Finals, they’ll have an enormous goal on their backs. Each contender within the league can be gunning for them. Whereas the Celtics made a unbelievable run, they wanted just a few seven-game sequence to get out of the East. The margin for error stays skinny as there are some top-tier groups within the convention rising to threaten them.

Whether or not the Celtics are the favourite is a query for an additional day. What we’re right here to determine right now is who the largest menace is for the Celtics getting into the season to face in the way in which of back-to-back Japanese Convention crowns.

We requested our employees right here at CelticsBlog who they imagine the largest menace is.

Photograph by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe by way of Getty Photos

Mike Dynon: The Bucks are clearly essentially the most formidable opponent. Only one yr faraway from profitable the title, their rotation core is among the league’s strongest, that includes all veterans with at the very least 4 seasons of expertise. This summer time, the Bucks re-signed all their free brokers whereas including Joe Ingles, who appears to all the time play effectively in opposition to Boston. After all, the Bucks are led by in all probability the league’s most unstoppable power, Giannis Antetokounmpo, now solidly in his prime at age 27, getting into his tenth season. The Bucks can even be additional motivated to get again to the highest of the East. They’ve confronted the Celtics within the postseason thrice up to now 5 years, shedding twice in seven video games. We’ve heard advert nauseam the narrative that they’d’ve crushed Boston final spring if solely Khris Middleton wasn’t injured – and little doubt they imagine that. So, if the Celtics are to return to the Finals, Milwaukee ought to be their hardest impediment.

Daniel Poarch: For me, the dialog begins and ends with the Milwaukee Bucks. Anytime you have got a participant of Antetokounmpo’s caliber in your roster, you’re all however anticipated to contend for a spot within the NBA Finals in any case. The erstwhile champs took the Celtics to seven within the second spherical of final yr’s playoffs, and – as any Bucks fan would like to inform you – they did it with out the providers of Giannis’ co-star, Khris Middleton. Milwaukee could have Middleton again on the courtroom to start out the yr (together with a wholesome Brook Lopez, whose absence quietly harm them fairly a bit via the primary half of final season) they usually retain high quality depth round their stars. They’ll be again within the hunt this season; if anybody aside from the Celtics goes to say the highest seed within the East, I’d anticipate it to be the Bucks.

Jack Simone: It simply needs to be the Milwaukee Bucks. Groups just like the Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Toronto Raptors all must be accounted for, however the Bucks are simply essentially the most championship-ready squad within the East outdoors of Boston. Giannis is the most effective participant on the planet, Middleton and Jrue Vacation are severely underrated yearly, and their depth is pretty much as good because it’s ever been. The Joe Ingles addition ought to be taken with a grain of salt due to his age, however even outdoors of that, re-signing each Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton to longer offers can’t be discounted. Milwaukee goes to be a high group within the East and they’re the Celtics’ high competitors. And to be trustworthy, I don’t assume it’s notably shut. I believe there’s a fairly large hole between Boston and Milwaukee and the remainder of the convention.

Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Photos

Neil Iyer: Whereas I agree with the consensus that Milwaukee is the hardest opponent, I believe the most effective model of the Philadelphia 76ers may give Boston essentially the most bother. James Harden isn’t a #1 choice on a championship group, but when he can reconfigure his recreation to be an elite third choice behind Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, the Sixers are a sleeping big. They’ve an excellent complementary supporting forged with Tobias Harris, Georges Niang, De’Anthony Melton, Paul Reed, and PJ Tucker (amongst others). Don’t be stunned if Embiid goes full Terminator on the league after his MVP and first-team all-NBA snubs. Harden’s means and willingness to thrive in a lowered position is that this group’s X-factor.

Adam Spinella: There’s so much that may occur between now and subsequent April, however I’m fairly startled by the Philadelphia 76ers. Maxey, Harden and Embiid may very well be the Japanese Convention’s subsequent model of a Huge Three. Harris is good as a fourth choice; he will get a whole lot of flack for his large contract however that is the right position for him. Stealing PJ Tucker away from Miami provides them a ton of lineup flexibility within the frontcourt, and position gamers like Melton and Niang present stability elsewhere. I agree with Neil that Harden is the X-factor, however not because the third choice and extra for his well being and skill to remain engaged all year long.

Invoice Sy: Oddly, the Toronto Raptors. The star energy of Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Brooklyn scare me, however there’s one thing in regards to the Raptors’ teaching and flexibility that strikes worry in my basketball coronary heart. I had really needed their expertise pool to get gutted by a Durant commerce. Like final season, I don’t need to be anyplace close to the 4-5 matchup as a result of that would arrange a seven-game massacre north of the border.

Bobby Manning: It’s arduous to say anybody aside from the Bucks.

The addition of Joe Ingles may very well be an underrated heist relying on how he recovers from ACL surgical procedure. He’s anticipated to return someday round midseason and averaged 12.7 PPG and 4.7 APG as lately as 2021 for Utah whereas taking pictures 45.1% from three. Khris Middleton is again, MarJon Beauchamp shined as a two-way wing in Summer time League and I believe that Serge Ibaka could have a larger position in his first full run with Milwaukee beginning the yr totally wholesome. Giannis is the most effective participant within the sport.

Elsewhere, I’ll co-sign Toronto with all their wing depth and flexibility defensively as a particularly sturdy menace to Boston, Philadelphia is extremely depending on Harden, and I’m not optimistic about him. I must see the Nets earlier than I can assume they’ll be purposeful regardless of the expertise on paper. I’ve my doubts about Miami, however Erik Spoelstra is pretty much as good because it will get, they’ve gelled for a number of seasons as a core now and got here one shot away from downing the Celtics final yr. You need to respect that.