The Boston Celtics Were Right To Play For The Second Seed

The Boston Celtics headed into Game 82 against the Memphis Grizzlies with the intent to win and capture the second seed. Despite arguments that the Celtics should have rested their starters to potentially set up a more favorable matchup—i.e. to avoid a first-round battle against Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets—they decided to play the final regular-season game at full strength.

Head coach Ime Udoka addressed the elephant in the room before the game. “Everyone is talking about Brooklyn, but they have a Play-In game to play,” he said. “You can run from teams, and they don’t even end up being there. What we concluded was: Let’s do what we do and let the chips fall where they may.”

Here’s how those chips fell: Boston’s regulars faced the Grizzlies b-squad and utterly destroyed them 139-110. Now the second-seeded Celtics will rest while the seventh-seeded Nets will face the eighth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the Play-In. Given the fact that the red-hot Nets are the home team, it feels almost inevitable that Boston will once again face Brooklyn when the postseason proper begins.

Boston has opened itself up to being second-guessed, especially now that Durant and Irving are playing together as well as they have all year. In addition, The Athletic’s Shams Charania hinted that Ben Simmons, acquired in exchange for James Harden at the trade deadline, might be ready to make his Nets debut as soon as the first round.

If so, Boston might be better off facing them now rather than later. If the road to the NBA Finals runs through the Nets—which seems to be the argument of those who wanted the Celtics to tank—then it might be best just to get it over with, especially if they will be attempting to incorporate Simmons (who brings with him his own playoff baggage) into an already volatile mix of personalities.

In playing to win, Udoka was sending a clear message: these Celtics were worrying more about themselves than their opponents. The best team in basketball for much of the second half of the season, the Celtics briefly had the chance to secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference. At their best, they can beat anybody, so why not play for home court advantage, regardless of who they might end up inviting to TD Garden?

Here is their main concern: they haven’t been the same team without starting center Robert Williams. Without him, their potential path to the NBA Finals will be a rocky one. Realistically, it’s going to be a longshot if maybe their most impactful defensive player doesn’t return and play at something close to full health.

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Udoka did not completely rule out Williams for the first round of the playoffs, but he made it clear that the scenario was highly unlikely. The Celtics would be wise not to push Williams. The organization has its core four signed up long-term now, it makes no sense for them to rush a big man with a lengthy injury history.

It also makes sense because, to be blunt, this is not a title-or-bust team like those New Big Three Celtics lineups of the previous decade. This is a young, developing team, not a collection of established Hall of Famers gathered together to finally win their first championship. This is a Celtics team that hopes to seriously contend for the next few seasons (although it’s understandable if the 35-year-old Al Horford might think differently).

If the Celtics can put together their best effort, the kind they showed during their second-half streak, they are capable of beating any opponent, even a Nets team that ended their season last year. If they don’t, this will likely be another early playoff exit. Sometimes basketball is simple like that.