Ranking the Celtics’ 10 biggest threats in their quest to repeat originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Wednesday night’s Thunder-Cavaliers showdown lived up to every bit of the hype.
The first battle of teams on double-digit win streaks in 30 years featured 30 lead changes and had an obvious playoff feel. And the fact that Cleveland emerged despite an off night from Donovan Mitchell (11 points on 3 of 16 shooting) only hammers home how much the frontcourt tandem of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have evolved (46 points and 22 rebounds combined).
We spent much of the week pondering Boston’s biggest threats in its quest to repeat while the Celtics were visiting top Western Conference foes. But Wednesday’s game might truly have been a showdown of the two biggest obstacles in Boston’s quest for another Larry O’Brien Trophy.
So nearing the midway point of the 2024-25 season, here’s one writer’s opinion on Boston’s top threats:
1. Cavaliers
In a vacuum, we’d probably slot the Thunder here, especially considering they’ll eventually add Alex Caruso and Chet Holmgren back to the best defense in the NBA.
But we’re giving the Cavs the nod for one simple fact: The Thunder still have to emerge from a loaded West to truly be a threat to the Celtics, while a Boston-Cleveland showdown in the East finals feels like an inevitability.
The Cavaliers are pulling away atop the East and have proven that their hot start to the season was no fluke. Mobley has made a leap, the Cavaliers no longer need Mitchell to carry them in clutch situations, and Cleveland is flexing its depth.
The Cavaliers have the best offense in the league (by nearly two points per game over the Celtics), are 19-1 at home, and are now 11-0 against the West. They check all the boxes for a legitimate contender, and we’re left wondering how much more competitive last year’s series against the Celtics might have have been if they were at full health.
Can we fast forward to Boston’s pre-All-Star visit to Cleveland on February 4?
2. Thunder
Just an absolute bear of a defensive team, and still waiting for reinforcements. OKC’s defensive rating (103.4) is three points better than the next-closest team (Orlando, 106.3) and six points better than Boston’s sixth-ranked mark (109.4).
Even if you believe the Celtics’ shooting woes were an outlier in Sunday’s game, it’s undeniable how Oklahoma City made Boston uncomfortable with its defensive tenacity and overall physicality.
A young OKC team still has to prove it can consistently shine on the biggest playoff stages but the potential is undeniable, and the Thunder are poised for a long stay as a legitimate title contender.
3. Knicks
You knew it was going to take some time for the Knicks to find a groove after their offseason overhaul, and it’s kind of wild that, after their meeting on Opening Night, we have to wait until February 8 to get a rematch in New York.
The Knicks’ defense should get better — they rank 14th in defensive rating through 38 games — but they are surprisingly right on Boston’s heels near the top of the offensive rating leaders.
Maybe this Boston-New York rivalry gets a much-needed jolt with a second-round matchup in the playoffs.
4. Grizzlies
Memphis really put Boston on its heels with its pace during a December visit. The Grizzlies rank fifth in the NBA in both offensive and defensive rating, and are quietly fourth in the NBA in net rating (+7.6) behind the power trio of OKC, Cleveland, and Boston.
It’s really interesting to see the Grizzlies surge again after a turmoil-filled 2023-24 season. Yet again, they have to prove they can thrive on the playoff stage; after earning the second seed in the West two years ago, they were bounced by the seventh-seeded Lakers in six games in Round 1.
5. Nuggets
We would have loved to see how the Celtics and Nuggets matched up with a healthy Jokic on the floor. Maybe we’ll get a better idea when they visit Boston on March 2.
The Nuggets championship hopes rest on playing Jokic for 40-plus minutes in the playoffs and hoping they survive his bench minutes.
6. Timberwolves
It feels irresponsible to have Minnesota this low when they’ve played two one-possession games with Boston this season, and two overtime games last season. The reality is that the Wolves need to put together a consistent stretch of winning basketball and pull themselves from the play-in pack in the West.
7. Magic
An already frisky Orlando squad gets Paolo Ranchero back this week. He’ll get a chance to shake some rust before the Magic visit Boston on January 17.
If Orlando was healthier, they might be highest on this list already.
8. Bucks
Call it the Giannis factor. If he’s healthy, they’ve got a shot in any series. There’s still a long way to go to climb out of the hole they dug to start the season.
9. Rockets
An impressive start for Ime Udoka’s young squad, but that team is going to be severely challenged to come out of the West.
10. Pacers
It’s not overly surprising that they’ve struggle a bit after last season’s surge to the East Finals. But it is surprising to see them with a negative net rating (-0.7) near the midpoint of the season.
If they tap back into what made them so challenging a year ago, they could be a pest in any playoff series.
