We’re barely a week into the NBA season, and ESPN has already kicked out its first round of power rankings - the kind of list that’s built to spark arguments. The Celtics landed at No. 8, sliding two spots from the preseason order even after opening 3-1.
That’s a tough sell if you’ve watched Boston actually play. The Celtics coughed up a big lead on opening day, but that came in a 3 pm national TV game in a hostile building against a strong Detroit Pistons team. Since then, they’ve knocked off the Knicks, rolled past the Bulls, and beaten the Nets on the second night of a back-to-back.
It hasn’t been perfect, and there’s obviously room for improvement. Even so, Boston is still winning and sits tied for first in the Eastern Conference. ESPN still chose to rank the Celtics behind the Pistons, 76ers, and Raptors in the East, which is where the head-scratching really starts.
Detroit at 4-1 at least makes sense, since the Pistons beat Boston. The 76ers are also 4-1 and have earned some credit with their comebacks.
But the Raptors are another story. They’re already without Kawhi Leonard for a month and have the same record as the Celtics, yet they jumped from 12th to 7th while Boston fell.
The West didn’t make the list any cleaner. There’s no real issue with Oklahoma City at No. 1 after a 4-1 start and wins over the Spurs and Nuggets. Houston at No. 4 is easy enough to defend too, since the Rockets are still undefeated and have looked sharp.
After that, the logic starts to wobble.
Minnesota somehow checked in at No. 2 even with two straight losses and Anthony Edwards expected to miss multiple months. That’s not a small detail, and it makes the Timberwolves look more like a team trying to hang onto a top-six spot in the West than a top-two team in the league.
Then there’s Los Angeles. The Lakers landed at No. 6 and moved ahead of Boston despite a schedule that has been extremely soft.
Their wins have come against the Warriors, Jazz, and Clippers twice, and their lone loss was at home to the Blazers. Luka Doncic has been excellent, but the defense remains shaky, which makes the jump from 11th to 6th feel hard to justify.
So yes, ESPN’s rankings were always going to stir people up. That’s the point.
But if the goal was to reflect the league accurately, this first version missed the mark. Maybe next week.
In Other News...
Baylor Scheierman Is Earning Celtics Trust In A Different Way
Baylor Scheierman is starting to win trust in a way that has nothing to do with his shot. In the Celtics 125-124 overtime win over the Nets, he made his biggest impact with defense, hustle and playmaking, filling the kind of glue-guy role that can change a game even when the box score does not jump off the page.
What stood out most was how he handled Michael Porter Jr., giving Boston a strong, disciplined possession on a night when every detail mattered. Scheierman also kept possessions alive and helped the Celtics create extra chances, a reminder that his value to this group can come from energy and awareness as much as scoring, which is exactly the sort of versatility Boston can keep leaning on. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Brown Just Reframed A Celtics Story Fans Still Debate
Jaylen Brown pushed back on the latest round of Celtics chatter this week, denying reports that he ever tried to force Bostons hand with trade demands or a list of ultimatums. The noise had lingered after former player Brian Scalabrine floated the claim, and it was another reminder of how quickly a Brown storyline can spill into bigger questions about the franchise, even when the player himself has moved on to a different chapter with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Brown said his focus is on his current role in Philadelphia after the win over the Indiana Pacers, trying to keep the conversation centered on basketball instead of old debates about his standing in Boston. Scalabrine later walked back his original version of events, though he still took aim at Brown, leaving the broader discussion around the Celtics stars past and reputation very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Guard Depth Suddenly Has A Rotation Question Fans Will Watch
Bostons guard rotation had already been a talking point with Payton Pritchard showing he can create his own offense in isolation and Jayson Tatum back from Achilles rehab with a recent 40-point night, so there has been no shortage of backcourt intrigue around the Celtics. Add in the ongoing chatter about Jaylen Browns future, and the groups depth suddenly feels like one of the more interesting roster stories hanging over the early part of the season.
Devin Carter has now rejoined the Celtics after recovering from mononucleosis, giving the team another familiar name back in the building as he finishes his recovery process. Boston converted his deal to a two-way contract ahead of the season opener, but the real question for now is when he will be ready to factor into the mix and how that timing might affect a guard room that is already carrying plenty of moving parts. [Read more 🡒]