For the last handful of seasons, the Boston Celtics have fancied themselves legitimate contenders for an NBA title. With three conference finals appearances in four seasons, they had every right to do so.
Now, however, things are a bit different.
Boston is coming off a season where they finished seventh in the East and fell swiftly to the Brooklyn Nets in the first round in five games. In their defense, last season was filled with injuries and COVID-induced chaos, but a fresh start doesn’t change the fact that the conference landscape has undergone some pretty significant changes.