The Celtics are riding a 15-game win streak, and there's no doubt right now that they're the best team in the league. No one would argue that Boston has been anything less than impressive in jumping out to a ridiculous record of 23-2 to start the season, an all-time start. But is the team really that amazing, or are they simply a product of their early-season schedule?
I'd argue that it's a bit of both, but the lack of quality opponents has more to do with the team's gaudy record than their stellar play does. Especially on the road. I swear, every time I see that the Celtics are playing someone that might give them a game, it turns out that the contest is being played in Boston. The Celtics are a strong enough team without getting to play all of their tough games at home, right?
Of course, it won't be like this all season.
The schedule will eventually even out, and in fact, I can already hear Celtics fans screaming at their computer screens that the Lakers effectively have two more home games than everyone else in the league (by virtue of their two "road" tilts against the Clippers at Staples Center), so I should just SHUT MY YAPPER.
But the fact remains that only two of the Celtics' 23 wins have come over teams of consequence on the road: at Houston in the fourth game of the season, and at Detroit in Allen Iverson's home debut as a Piston. So let's look ahead a bit and see when this team might actually have to leave Boston to play anybody that matters, shall we?
Actually, the Celtics have an interesting game coming up tomorrow night, when they go on the road to face the Atlanta Hawks. If you recall, Boston couldn't beat a sub-.500 Hawks team in Atlanta during the playoffs a year ago, so I would't be surprised to see a confident Hawks team give Boston all they can handle.
But the Hawks aren't exactly, say, the Lakers (or even the Cavaliers). As we've all known for a while now, Boston's true first road test will come on Christmas Day when they have to go to Los Angeles. Even if the Celtics drop that one though (and the way the Lakers have been playing defense lately, it doesn't seem likely), they can chalk it up to L.A. being ultra-motivated to get some sort of (ultimately meaningless) revenge for their loss in the NBA Finals.
Things slowly start to pick up steam from there, as Boston plays in Portland on December 30th, in Cleveland January 9th, in Orlando January 22nd, and in Detroit January 30th. The middle of February though will likely tell us all we need to know about these Celtics.
From February 11th through the 23rd (broken up a bit by All-Star weekend), Boston plays five straight road games against high quality Western Conference opponents, in the following order: New Orleans, Dallas, Utah, Phoenix,. Denver. Now we're (finally) talking.
So yes, the Celtics are admittedly the best team at the moment, and definitely have played with more focus and intensity than their conference-leading counterparts in Los Angeles. But to me, there's no question that their home heavy early season schedule has as much to do with that 23-2 record as anything else. So until Boston strings together some quality performances on the road, I'm going to take that gaudy win total with at least a few grains of salt.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
I agree with your broader point, though I would note that in the early part of the season the Celtics had a pretty grueling schedule even without a lot of tough road tests based on the number of games they had to play (they played 16 games in November, including 4 back-to-backs). The fact of the matter is, none of this season's Big 3 (Boston, Los Angeles, Cleveland) has been tested particularly well thus far.
As a Celtics fan, I'd very much like to see them win on the road in Atlanta, and I hope their Western Conference trip is this year's version of the Texas Triangle sweep last year. If they can do those things, I'll feel very good about their chances for a repeat.
However, if you're going to refer to a gaudy win total, you might want to get the win total right. It's 23-2, not 22-3. :)
Did you not know that all seventeen championship banners hanging here in Beantown were the results of favorable home and away scheduling.
And before you wannabe columnists take to the pen, kindly get the facts straight. The "HOME HEAVY" record is 23-2.
Do you serve cheese with that WHINE.
Another unfavorable Celtics piece from Brett? Ho-hum.
id shoot my self in the brain before i step into the boston garden. its like stepping into a giant tank of drunk sea lions, slurring words and yelling out "tom Brady" every 2 minutes.
Boston sucks!! including their muthas!!
Whatever DUB, the sooner you enact your "shoot myself in the brain" plan the better as far as I'm concerned. As for you, Brett, give me a break, to try and find ANY fault with 23-2 is flat dumb and just exposes you as less than objective. Making the argument that they haven't proven a lot to this point in the season is a point that would be better served after they've actually played AND lost a few games against some of the better teams in both the East and West, certainly not now.
If I post this more than once, it's because the post wouldn't show up for me...
I agree with you about the Celtics, but to be perfectly fair, I believe the Lakers also have a very similar schedule, with them having played 15 or so home games already this season. They started out with 10 of their first 15 at home, and are now currently on another 4 game homestand.
Maybe the league wants another Lakers-Celtics finals...lol, but that's just me. Again, to be fair, both teams have home heavy schedules in the early part of this season.
It seems less home heavy then the Lakers that is for sure.
hey shit-for-brains, before you write such an incompetent and moronic column, check the facts: the celtics are 10-1 at home and 13-1 on the road. since you took the short bus to school and never learned to add, i'll do it for you: that's 11 games at home and 14 games ON THE ROAD! how the hell is that a "home heavy schedule?" after you're done with your next ballwashing article on lebron"no titles" james or that rapist on the lakers, why don't you get a clue as to what you're writing about. note to fanhouse: fire this putz!
Facts and Brett have never met.
It's not stunning to know the boston celtics have taken a 15 game winning streak because they have great strategies and they have world class team players who can domenate in any area of the hardcourt. - cyruz of http://www.paidsurvey.com
the only thing we can take away from this piece is if we condense everything, the celtics still have their tougher days ahead of them. can we please agree on that?
What tough team have they not played besides Lakers and Spurs? Lakers should get an article like this as well. One that is actually accurate would be nice. This one is not.
Sigh-- I guess I'll have to balance a sour-grapes article with a 17 championship banners, three superbowls, two recent world series, and a first place hockey team...
GO CAVS!!!!!