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Francis Ngannou versus Anthony Joshua may be givin' off appeal as the two are set to light up the boxing world in their heavyweight clash this coming weekend, but the hardwood is delivering a heavyweight fight night in and night out going into March as the fight atop the West is an utter bloodbath among three heavyweight beast lookin' for the top playoff seed. We also have a heavyweight fight for the MVP and are seeing a MAJOR heavyweight be formed in Boston atop the Eastern Conference. This piece has it's theme.
Boston is the most dominant heavyweight of anyone going into March, and will be the most dominant going into the playoffs. Celtics are back to streakin' as they have won 11-games in a row to create some realistic goals for chasing the Big Three's epic 2007-08 campaign. That team led by KG, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce finished the season with the franchise record in wins going 66-16. They capped off that record season with an NBA title. This current C's squad sits at 48-12 with 22 games remaining on their schedule. With the current streak they are on and the fact they play 59% of their remaining games against teams currently spotted in the playoff bracket- can the Celtics win 18 or more to wrap up the season?
It would be a tough feat for the Celtics to lose four or less games, especially when the Celtics play 12 of their next 15 games on the road inside kingdoms in Phoenix, Denver, and Cleveland. Tough, no doubt, but it's not impossible. This Celtics squad is feelin' damn strong. They are playin' damn strong. The offense has been boomin' across the streak scoring 110+ points in all dubs, posting five games with 130+ points (regulation), and even held leads of 50+ against the Warriors the last time out. Jayson Tatum has slithered his way up the MVP ladder with a serious case and the rotation in it's entirety is outperforming the oppositions' every night on the floor. Check out this meaaaaan edit of the Celtics gettin' straight buckets courtesy of their PR team:
video via Celtics//X
The next three games will tell a lot regarding the question above. Say the Celtics win the next three at the Cavaliers, Nuggets, and Suns to extend their win streak to 14 games. I would bet on them going 18-4 to close out. They have 3-5 difficult games after on the tail end. At New Orleans is tough. At Milwaukee, no doubt. And a heavyweight clash with the Thunder should hold some difficulties as Tatum and Gilgeous-Alexander will sure duke things out in a MVP case versus case showdown. With the season series deadlocked at one a piece between the Bucks & Celtics- the final two games of the series will also be tough for Boston. The rest of the schedule is smooth sailing for the most part. Celtics have a real chance at matching franchise history or coming near it. What a way for them to end their season if they can keep up this heatwave going into the playoffs.
Boston is so superior that they have the Eastern Conference on lock. It's the Celtics in the highest tier; followed by the Knicks, Cavaliers, and Bucks in the tier below the Cs. The separation from the Celtics and the other three is significant. We have a different theme atop the Western Conference. The fight for the top seed is a neck-and-neck war between the Northwest trio of the Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Thunder. Neither team is looking like they will give in. An old western shootout is upon us as we near the final laps of the race.
Since the 2004-05 expansion that created the three divisions per conference format, never have the top three records in the Western Conference belong to teams in the same division. It has only happened once in the Eastern Conference, 2017-18 (Atlantic), but never in the West. That could change if the Thunder, T-Wolves, and Nuggets keep on their current trajectory. All three have a 3-game advantage over the 4th-place Clippers, but no advantage over one another. Dead-locked for the top spot. We have three inner-division games still to go down between the three; all three games being between Denver and Minnesota. Which means each of the three squads' remaining schedules will pay dividends as we see how this race unravels.
Minnesota has the toughest schedule remaining of the three playin' 14 of their final 20 games against teams in the playoff picture. Including a six-game road trip that they start Thursday. To make matters more difficult: two of their three games remaining versus the Nuggs are in Mile High. Timberwolves are going to have to dig down deep if they wish to claim the top seed for the playoffs. Something they have only done once in their 35-year history (2003-04). On the flip side, Denver has the easiest remaining schedule of the three with the Thunder not too far off from them. The three meetings between Minny and Denver can alter things in a big way; the final meeting in April could have massive implications.
The fight atop the standings should be a heavyweight clash all the way to the finish line considering the remaining schedules and the heatwave each team is currently riding. Denver has won six games in a row and all three teams have gone 7-3 in their last ten outings on the hardwood. The All-Star break doesn't seem like it has slowed down the trio; the race is on. We get to witness a good portion of the race throughout the next six weeks with 17 televised games (including NBA TV) that includes one of, or both of these teams. It's all about ending strong; we are going to find out how these three finish.
The current MVP ladder is exactly the theme of this read: a heavyweight fight. There is six guys on the ladder with the top-4 being a slugfest. I envision the race coming down to the wire with a three-wide (maybe four) finish crossing the checkered just like the finish of NASCAR Atlanta a few Sundays ago. We have strong cases that are only going to get stronger. I had a shuffle atop my ladder, but the rankings currently hold a strong form as we enter March:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to be stellar in all facets of the game. Game-breaking scoring, stellar defense, and ice in the veins type of clutch motives as his Thunder fight for the best record in the West. I give him the lead over Joker. Shai's scoring is the difference. Jokić's rebounding and passing brilliance is to no surprise at this point, but it doesn't trump SGA's scoring and stellar defense in the backcourt. Not yet at least. It's definitely a nail-biter. As close as it can get. Jokić has the advantage in PER, VORP, and Box plus/minus, but SGA has the advantage in total win shares, offensive win shares, and usage percentage. The crazy thing? Giannis and Luka are right in their rear-mirror lookin' to utilize a slipstream.
Both guys have been stellar on the offensive, ranking top three in points per with Luka leading the league. Luka's current PPG of 34.6 would be the highest point average to finish a season since James Harden's 36.1 for Houston in 2018-19. I place both Luka and Giannis behind Joker & SGA due to their turnover ratios and the defensive numbers not being as elite (still solid) as the other two. I tend to give Luka a bit of a break with how the Mavericks are playing around him. The value he brings to Dallas is a reason why he can easily get a MVP vote if the race ended today. Giannis isn't far behind and has his March off to a fiery start. This is a four-wide spread going into the final laps. Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell also have a leg in the race as they elevate their squads atop the Eastern Conference. This could turn into one of the more appealing MVP races of all-time.
I am beyond pumped for March on the hardwood. Joker and SGA are puttin' it all on the floor to aid their respected squads to the top seed in the West and they are set to duke it out for the 2024 MVP. What else could we ask for? Basketball gods are giving us the goods, baby! I have a feeling Luka, Giannis, and Tatum are going to have something to say in that race. Strap on those seatbelts; we are in for one helluva ride during these final laps. The race is on!
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