The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers stand in way of Boston Celtics dominance

By Bret Stuter

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 18: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on January 18, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 18: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on January 18, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON – MAY 19: Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) slams down a dunk for the 80-39 lead, over Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) who lost the ball on a turnover during the third quarter. The Boston Celtics host the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden in Boston on May 19, 2017. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON – MAY 19: Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) slams down a dunk for the 80-39 lead, over Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) who lost the ball on a turnover during the third quarter. The Boston Celtics host the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden in Boston on May 19, 2017. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /

Celtics Fan Frustration

When the 2017-2018 season opened, the Boston Celtics ran away with the NBA Eastern Conference so quickly that many simply surrendered and anointed them as the Eastern Conference Champions. But as the season fades into post-season, so too has the Celtics success.  Just 3-3 in February 2018, the Celtics have fallen .5 games behind the Toronto Raptors, and were decimated by a newly retooled Cleveland Cavaliers team who led a flurry of trades at the NBA Trade Deadline.  In a post game interview, Cavaliers star LeBron James included the Philadelphia 76ers in the company of Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics.

That inclusion, while intended for several reasons, was a swipe at Boston fans who do not consider the 76ers at their level yet.

Celtics fading at the wrong time

Still, Boston is beginning to come back to earth now. A significant contributing factor is the lack of offense. They are the NBA’s 25th ranked offense among 30 teams. And that’s not going to carry them anywhere in the NBA playoffs.

All of this, of course, feeds the annual notion that the Boston Celtics cannot advance in the playoffs. The 2016-2017 Celtics ended the season as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. But that team struggled to get past both the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, the Celtics are fading once more, and the resurgence of the Cavaliers brings all those fears of playoff hopes dashed once more.