http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4692359/power-rankings-cs-drop-twoWe're not sure how a team goes 4-1, posting two wins over the Eastern Conference's top five seeds (one being their potential first-round playoff opponent, no less) and survives its lone back-to-back-to-back of the season, then drops two spots, but that's what the Boston Celtics did in this week's ESPN.com NBA Power Rankings:
Curator Marc Stein offers only praise in his brief note on the C's: "With all the focus on Rondo's diming, Boston's suffocating team D, Ray Allen's acceptance of a bench role and the unexpected contributions from A-Bradley and Stiemsma, not enough has been said about KG, who quietly has served up six of his seven 20-and-10 games this season just since the All-Star break." The Celtics were leapfrogged by the Los Angeles hoopsters (both the Clippers and Lakers).
The blow out loss to Toronto obviously had a greater effect on this than originally thought. But in this post lockout season of high workloads, injuries, and fatigue, ambushes happen all the time. The only thing that matters is where you finish in that 2 month long basketball tournament called the NBA playoffs. That is where you learn where your team really stands.
Celtics magic number to clinch the Atlantic is three and when that is accomplished, I favor rest for the front line rotation players over pursuit of a 1st round HCA and the three seed. I have confidence the Celtics can win in any NBA arena this year (including Miami, Chicago, OKC, and LAL)