Stein has Celtics Ranked 6th in Today's Power Ranking

[footey]

What??

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14367608/week-7-power-rankings-nba

[colincb]

Who behind the Cs are better?

[footey]

I don't know. Just saying, 6th best team today??

Wowser.

Awesome.

Love it.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Who behind the Cs are better?

Pacers, Clippers and Hawks all have the potential, but right now I think we deserve the 6 spot.  The difference is, we're almost certainly drafting in the lottery this year on top of it.

[jpotter33]

Who behind the Cs are better?

Pacers, Clippers and Hawks all have the potential, but right now I think we deserve the 6 spot.  The difference is, we're almost certainly drafting in the lottery this year on top of it.

I think the Pacers are coming back down to Earth a bit, and I really think the Hawks are in our ballpark. There has to be some chemistry or locker room issues with the Clippers. They have too much talent to be where they are right now.

[Donoghus]

7/10 are from the East. 

That's pretty impressive considering what the narrative has been for the past few years.

[PhoSita]

On the one hand, I'm happy to see the Celts ranked so high, and I think they've played some impressive ball lately so it's a defensible ranking.

On the other hand, when was the last time half of the top 10 of the Power Rankings, this far into the season, was made up of teams with zero shot to even make the Finals, let alone win the title?

The list of contenders this year is really short.  Like, Golden State is almost certainly going to win the title as long as they stay healthy, but what competition do they even have, aside from the Spurs, Cavs, and perhaps the Thunder?

[Yenohb]

How time flies. 2 years ago we were dead last on the NBA power rankings.

[Neurotic Guy]

And a little room to move up -- at least past Toronto. 

Surprising parity (mediocrity) this year leaves the C's either in position for a fun non-championship run, OR, a big trade for a star to perhaps move in or near the real contenders. 

[PhoSita]

And a little room to move up -- at least past Toronto. 

Surprising parity (mediocrity) this year leaves the C's either in position for a fun non-championship run, OR, a big trade for a star to perhaps move in or near the real contenders.

The distance between the real contenders and the rest seems pretty huge, though.  Which of the teams below the Warriors / Spurs / Cavs / Thunder grouping are one move away from having a shot against those teams in a playoffs series?

I think you could add Melo or Cousins to the Celts and they'd still have no chance against any of those squads, even though they'd be very competitive against a lot of the other likely playoff opponents.


Seems to me the Clips have the best shot at getting hot and rising back into the contender group again, just based on having Paul and Griffin.  The rest of their team stinks, though.

[Celtics18]

And a little room to move up -- at least past Toronto. 

Surprising parity (mediocrity) this year leaves the C's either in position for a fun non-championship run, OR, a big trade for a star to perhaps move in or near the real contenders.

The distance between the real contenders and the rest seems pretty huge, though.  Which of the teams below the Warriors / Spurs / Cavs / Thunder grouping are one move away from having a shot against those teams in a playoffs series?

I think you could add Melo or Cousins to the Celts and they'd still have no chance against any of those squads, even though they'd be very competitive against a lot of the other likely playoff opponents.


Seems to me the Clips have the best shot at getting hot and rising back into the contender group again, just based on having Paul and Griffin.  The rest of their team stinks, though.

At the start of the season we probably weren't a playoff team, about a week ago we wouldn't have a chance against anyone in a playoff series, now we aren't a serious title contender.

Where will we be in another couple of weeks or so? 

[BDeCosta26]

I don't know. Just saying, 6th best team today??
N
Wowser.

Awesome.

Love it.

Hate off to Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens. How many teams can legitimately say that they've gone from a total strip-down rebuild to a top-10 NBA team in like two years, just based on limited moves and development. The craziest thing is it's not total hyperbole. We have a top 5 defense in this league, and we've shown some great consistency lately, even with Smart out. We have a pretty dang impressive team, almost all of which is under-27. On top of that, which could eventually land us in the top half of the east, we almost certainly have top-half-of-the-lottery pick coming this year as well.

LHR was saying on CelticsBeat this week, just think of how amazing it is that at this exact time last year, we felt like we had nothing worth keeping next to Smart and were looking to strip down of the Rondo's and Jeff Green's to go into a total rebuild. A year later and a case can legitimately be made that were one, maybe two players away from contender status, and we have the assets to get there. That Brooklyn pick is going to play a major role in our next great team.

[oldtype]

On the one hand, I'm happy to see the Celts ranked so high, and I think they've played some impressive ball lately so it's a defensible ranking.

On the other hand, when was the last time half of the top 10 of the Power Rankings, this far into the season, was made up of teams with zero shot to even make the Finals, let alone win the title?

The list of contenders this year is really short.  Like, Golden State is almost certainly going to win the title as long as they stay healthy, but what competition do they even have, aside from the Spurs, Cavs, and perhaps the Thunder?

IMO even just thinking that anyone can beat the Warriors is looking like a bit of a stretch.

[SHAQATTACK]

Put up or shut up time

Celtics need to destroy the Diva tomorrow nite

[blink]

Put up or shut up time

Celtics need to destroy the Diva tomorrow nite

yes, yes they do.  do bad smart won't be back for this game.  we need our defensive agitator.