The Boston Celtics are defying expectations. While the season is still young, they're showing they can compete with anybody. Joe Mazzulla's club has registered seven wins against teams with a .500 record or better. That's tied for the second-most in the NBA.
Boston has done so with balance. The Celtics boast the fourth-highest offensive rating. At the other end of the floor, they're allowing 111.2 points per game, the third-fewest in the league.
On the court, all is well for a team that's 12-9, sitting sixth in the East. They enter Thursday's tilt against the Washington Wizards just two games behind the New York Knicks, who are in third.