The Celtics are really good — no matter how they ‘feel’

The 2023-24 Celtics have been one of the crucial dominant groups of all time.

Combining the common season and playoffs, the crew went 80-21, with a degree differential of 10.7 factors per sport, which is fifth finest all time. They have been traditionally good.

Now evaluate the place this Celtics crew is to the place they have been by way of 37 video games final season.

They’re proper on tempo to the place they have been final season. But with Oklahoma Metropolis and Cleveland being as nice as they’re, persons are beginning to get involved with the place this Celtics crew is.

If it looks like you may have heard folks use ‘really feel’ earlier than when describing the Celtics, you most likely have as a result of, effectively…

Have there been factors to this season the place the Celtics have been irritating? In fact. Scoring 27 factors within the 2nd half of Sunday’s loss to the Thunder was very irritating, like watching Caleb Martin bury the Celtics (once more) on Christmas Day was irritating.

This crew may not have that very same edge proper now as that they had at this level final yr and that’s okay.

What occurred within the 2023 Japanese Convention Finals was embarrassing for everybody within the group, high to the underside. In fact that they had an edge that they do not have this yr. They’re nonetheless going to be one of many high seeds within the playoffs and possibly the favorites to win the East.

Now evaluate it to the 2017 and 2018 Warriors.

The 2016 Finals have been embarrassing to them, then they went out and added Kevin Durant (equally to how the Celtics obtained Jrue Vacation and Kristaps Porzingis). Golden State was traditionally dominant within the common season and the playoffs, with an everyday season file of 67-15, a playoff file of 16-1 and a mixed level differential of +11.96.

That they had an identical edge to the one the Celtics had final yr.

In 2018, they cooled off profitable 58 common season video games, ending 2nd within the Western Convention with a mixed level differential of +6.8 factors per sport within the common season and playoffs. They even went to a Sport 7 in opposition to the Houston Rockets. Finally, they discovered a technique to win the championship once more.

They discovered methods to win as a result of that’s what champions do.

I’m not saying that this Celtics group is pretty much as good as that Golden State group was as a result of they aren’t. The 2016-17 Warriors, to me, are the best basketball crew ever assembled.

Nevertheless, there are similarities between the 2 conditions. An all-time dominant season adopted by a crew rising and difficult them within the convention met with a crew who is aware of they’ll get it accomplished.

The Celtics are certainly not a lock to win the title this season. The Thunder and Cavaliers, together with a handful of different groups, are worthy opponents and can problem the Celtics, equally to how the Rockets challenged the Warriors that season.

Perhaps these Celtics don’t really feel like final yr’s crew to you and possibly they are not taking part in with the identical edge they performed with final yr. That should not be a priority to their probabilities at profitable the championship although. They’re 27-10 with a ten.4 web ranking and actually, actually good.

The Thunder and Cavaliers have been superior this season and appear to be actual threats to win it. One in every of them could even be the favourite in a variety of peoples’ minds. That should not make you panic as a fan of the Celtics. They’re battle-tested, they’re prepared to fulfill any second, and they’re champions.

It doesn’t matter what anybody says, I’m at all times going to trip with my guys. It doesn’t matter what.