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Our staff weighs in on the team that scares us the most on the pathway to the NBA Finals.
Now that the Boston Celtics have climbed the mountain in the Eastern Conference and made the NBA Finals, they’ll have a giant target on their backs. Every contender in the league will be gunning for them. While the Celtics made a fantastic run, they needed a few seven-game series to get out of the East. The margin for error remains thin as there are some top-tier teams in the conference emerging to threaten them.
Whether the Celtics are the favorite is a question for another day. What we’re here to figure out today is who the biggest threat is for the Celtics entering the season to stand in the way of back-to-back Eastern Conference crowns.
We asked our staff here at CelticsBlog who they believe the biggest threat is.
Mike
Daniel
Jack
Neil Iyer: While I agree with the consensus that Milwaukee is the toughest opponent, I think the best version of the Philadelphia 76ers can give Boston the most trouble. James Harden isn’t a #1 option on a championship team, but if he can reconfigure his game to be an elite third option behind Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, the Sixers are a sleeping giant. They have an outstanding complementary supporting cast with Tobias Harris, Georges Niang, De’Anthony Melton, Paul Reed, and PJ Tucker (among others). Don’t be surprised if Embiid goes full Terminator on the league after his MVP and first-team all-NBA snubs. Harden’s ability and willingness to thrive in a reduced role is this team’s X-factor.
Adam Spinella: There’s a lot that can happen between now and next April, but I’m pretty startled by the Philadelphia 76ers. Maxey, Harden and Embiid could be the Eastern Conference’s next version of a Big Three. Harris is ideal as a fourth option; he gets a lot of flack for his big contract but this is the perfect role for him. Stealing PJ Tucker away from Miami gives them a ton of lineup flexibility in the frontcourt, and role players like Melton and Niang provide balance elsewhere. I agree with Neil that Harden is the X-factor, but not as the third option and more for his health and ability to stay engaged throughout the year.
Bill Sy: Oddly, the Toronto Raptors. The star power of Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Brooklyn scare me, but there’s something about the Raptors’ coaching and versatility that strikes fear in my basketball heart. I had actually wanted their talent pool to get gutted by a Durant trade. Like last season, I don’t want to be anywhere near the 4-5 matchup because that could set up a seven-game bloodbath north of the border.
Bobby Manning: It’s hard to say anyone other than the Bucks.
The addition of Joe Ingles could be an underrated heist depending on how he recovers from ACL surgery. He’s expected to return sometime around midseason and averaged 12.7 PPG and 4.7 APG as recently as 2021 for Utah while shooting 45.1% from three. Khris Middleton is back, MarJon Beauchamp shined as a two-way wing in Summer League and I suspect that Serge Ibaka will have a greater role in his first full run with Milwaukee starting the year fully healthy. Giannis is the best player in the sport.
Elsewhere, I’ll co-sign Toronto with all their wing depth and versatility defensively as a specifically strong threat to Boston, Philadelphia is highly dependent on Harden, and I’m not optimistic about him. I need to see the Nets before I can assume they’ll be functional despite the talent on paper. I have my doubts about Miami, but Erik Spoelstra is as good as it gets, they’ve gelled for multiple seasons as a core now and came one shot away from downing the Celtics last year. You have to respect that.
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