The Celtics have cruised to the top seed in the East, and they were never really challenged for it. They had a HUGE lead for a large portion of the season, as other top teams dealt with injuries, coaching upheaval, poor performance, or a combination of all the above.
The Celtics have been as battle tested as it gets in recent years, making it to the NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals. However, every season has ended in heartbreak for the team. Will it help them that they’ve been able to rest their guys as they want and not be challenged? For a team that hasn’t been there before, this could be a bad thing. There’s something to be said for momentum and keeping that intensity going. However, for a veteran team that has been there before and knows what it takes to win, this rest can be very beneficial. The Celtics are so good that they have the best odds to win the NBA Finals and are far and away the biggest favorites to win the Eastern Conference. So, it seems like the Sportsbooks are giving them an edge with all this rest.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown seemingly have to benefit from having the ability to rest and, for them, focus on what matters. These are the guys that will deliver a championship for the Celtics, and it’s hard to argue that they and some of the other veterans on the team, like Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford couldn’t use the rest.
The Celtics are in prime position to capture another title. This may be their best chance yet, having all this rest and in the far weaker conference. If they can get to the Finals, their opponent will have likely played more games than them, which will be a huge advantage!