I’m just glad we are somehow called contenders

I like the fact that you omitted that they’re 3-0 against the Cavs and 2-0 against the Lakers to make this stat look better.

If you’re going to speak about the “top teams”, then you need to provide a definition. Otherwise, it is not clear who you are talking about.

This was the timberwolves without ant

Who are we calling contenders? It was earlier in the season and one against a hospital squad but the beat the lakers twice. No way the have a combined 1 win against the 7 other top 4 seeds

Cavs and Lakers are a contender if you are saying the Rockets and Wolves are

They’re a team who is already completely optimized. They are all very smart players, they don’t make many mistakes, they are focused, they have a very healthy shot diet, they optimize to win the possession game… I don’t think they’re a real contender because they don’t really have margins for improvements left.

Tatum is the obvious exception to that. If he goes back to 80% Tatum, then that changes things.

I think many are overhyping their potential with Tatum coming back. This team is not as good as last year and in the playoffs they won’t just suddenly do better just because he’s back

Flair checks out

Ya it’s not looking great. One of those wins was against a LeBron and Luka less lakers.

We are 3-0 against the Cavs so this is just blatant lying lol

this post clearly cherrypicks, is blatantly wrong (they’re 3-13 against the teams listed), and doesn’t list a source. i can’t believe the mods let this through, they love taking shit down. anyway, do better, OP

Dude using Brown, White, 50% Tatum and otherwise a dogshit roster as a parameter on who’s a contender😂 this shit got upvotes?

Tatum is back and going to get better they’ll be fine

Uh who are the listed “contender”. This seems pretty subjective.

This was supposed to be a bridge year for the Celtics according to everyone and their mother. So how is 3-14 vs contenders a surprise? Make up your minds.

You forgot to mention the Hornets

Us Cavs fans are offended we weren’t considered contenders but also not speaking up because we’re 0-3 against the Celtics this season

Al Horford and Jrue Holiday ain’t walking through that door

Didn’t know that, that being said, who are these top teams?

This is a hate post disguised as a statistic and I respect that

Dude says the Knicks and Rockets are contenders over the Lakers lmfao

False. The Wolves sub would tell you they are not contenders.

Why did you mention the rockets

The Lakers are better than the Nuggets, Wolves, and Rockets (so they are clearly contenders) and they beat us twice, so I would add two to their count.

I never really got why everyone is so confident a team that got belt from the Knicks is suddenly better than every other team in the east including said Knicks.

Still a really good team, our biggest threats in the east imo

Every team in the east is flawed. Perfect mix for a play-in team to make a run all the way to the finals like the 2023 Heat

Knicks have no excuses to go to finals

If the T wolves Knicks and rockets are considered contenders then u better throw in the lakers

The contenders in your opinion? Good criteria I guess

Regular season shit like this doesn’t matter

The Celtics aren’t contenders without a healthy Tatum

Most of the losses have been very close though

Wolves, rockets are not real contenders

You think the Knicks, Wolves, and Rockets are contenders while the Lakers and Cavs arent?

Okay.

The Pistons are 11-5 against those teams (plus Boston), and all I hear on this sub is the Pistons are frauds.

I fear the Pistons the most because of matchups but the Celtics would be a tight series. I think they have as good a shot as we do but I do think it’s a bit much how some sports shows have the consensus that with Tatum they’re a league above us and Detroit.

OKC 0-1 SA 0-2 Denver 0-2 Minnesota 0-2 Lakers 2-0 Pistons 1-2 Knicks 1-2 Houston 1-1

Against the other top ten teams they’re 5-12. I don’t know who he’s cherry picking To make this work.

Other notes: win against Houston was a no Jaylen miracle and a lakers win was a no/luka LeBron game.

I’m assuming two of those wins are the Lakers?

I mean the swept us and I’d consider the lakers a contender based on that list lol

Never mind the fact that the Lakers are ahead of 3 of these teams. Nuggets get a pass due to injury though

Didn’t realize their record was so poor against contenders. But it would foolish for anyone to count them out as not having a legitimate chance at making it to the ECF. 

we are absolutely not contenders lmao (and neither is houston)

also they lost to us without Ant so it’s actually worse

How are the Lakers not contenders? In your book

this has to be bait. if the lakers aren’t contenders then the knicks, wolves and rockets aren’t either

why are wolves and rockets “contendors” but not lakers?

One game doesn’t mean anything. They’ll be fine with JB and JT

How are the wolves contenders and we are not. How are the Cavs not contenders while the Pistons are

Now do every other “top team” vs “contenders”!

OP includes rockets but not lakers lol

Without ant too. Mazzula got outcoached

I simply don’t trust the fact that half their rotation are playoff virgins. They have a lot of inexperience on their roster

My Knicks sucked against playoff contenders last year in the regular season. Did we win the ‘ship? No. But we DID beat some playoff contenders in the, you know, playoffs.

I don’t think the lakers are contenders but you can’t call minny, Denver and Houston contenders and exclude them.

I feel like you took the Cavs out just to make the record look worse lol

Been saying it all year their front court is fucking beyond ass. If you’re front court Can step up and not bitch out like Allen and Mobley do, you can comeplete just don’t think you can play guard v guard matchup and win

Considering my expectations going into this season, it sounds about right. The Celtics have more than exceeded anything I could’ve predicted before the start of the season.

And what was the Knicks record against the Celtics and Cavs last year during the regular season? If I remember correctly, it was 0-fer. None of this matters till the playoffs, and Tatum is still getting back into the mix.

smells like fromunda

How are lakers not a contender while wolves and rockets are contenders

I mean. Anyone who thought they were a title threat really needs to understand the intricacies of the reg season and postseason more.

Understand that playing high effort basketball with decent players on the team is gonna get you regular season wins. Doesn’t mean they’re good enough to come out of the east. The Knicks don’t even take half their games seriously and are a game back with a much better record against contenders. The roster gap is large.

Found Charles Barkley’s Reddit account. Bro not slick sliding in the Knicks. And also putting in the rockets

Considering the Rockets and Wolves to be contenders but not the Lakers or Cavs is skewing this stat quite a bit and health (specifically Tatum’s) is a big factor that can really change things in the playoffs.

Wait, so in your opinion, Lakers are not contenders, while having a winning record against Wolves, Nugget and Rockets?

I’d take the Knicks and Pistons (with Cade) in a series against the Celtics. That being said, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Celtics won a series against either team. This coming from an unbiased Celtics fans.

Knicks were similarly terrible against top teams last season and made the conference finals. Don’t hold too much stock in the regular season

Rockets 😉😉 sure..🤣🤣

Rockets in your list but not Lakers 🙄

“Are the Celtics better without Tatum???”

Tatum shoulda never came back lol and they should’ve kept Anfernee Simons

What a joke of a post

Biased against the Lakers a tad bit wouldn’t you say?

This post is why this sub sucks

Now hold on, Bill Simmons told me earlier this week that the east is sneakily more stacked than the west

Top tier Celtics hating and I’m here for it