The Boston Celtics have successfully emerged as that pest of an opponent that no team enjoys meeting, relieving the Memphis Grizzlies of the unofficial title.
Boston gets in your jersey, slaps you on your wrist and employs a rigorous level of physicality. Sprinkle in a reinvigorated offense, and the Celtics are a nightmare to play against on any given night.
Sitting at 35-25, the Celtics are on the rise. The team experienced form dips and consistency issues on its way to the third seed in the Eastern Conference, but a lot of the question marks have been ironed out thanks to head coach Brad Stevens' steady leadership.