The Celtics are in a unique place to start the season. They're not championship contenders and they're not exactly considered a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference, yet their fan base remains highly optimistic and certain preseason projections from credible sources have them up near 50 wins. Nylon Calculus, who has been historically accurate with their win projections, chalked the C's up to 49 wins and the three seed in the East.
So why are so many people looking at the Celtics as one of the NBA's biggest sleepers this year? In one word: depth. But it's more complex than that.