Celtics skeptics aren’t holding other East “contenders” to the same standard

Hardwood Houdini writer Ben Handler argues that critics of the Boston Celtics are overlooking significant flaws across competing Eastern Conference contenders. While skeptics question Boston's championship ceiling following the departure of Jaylen Brown and a prior playoff collapse against the Philadelphia 76ers, Handler contends that the Celtics maintain a higher floor and ceiling than other heavily praised rival rosters.

Handler highlights major vulnerabilities among other East contenders, including depth problems for the 76ers, health concerns for Toronto's Kawhi Leonard and Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton, and spacing issues for Miami. Ultimately, the writer believes Joe Mazzulla's proven system and Jayson Tatum's playoff track record position the Celtics more favorably than rival contenders.