Things are getting spicy. The addition of the play-in tournament has added a new level of competitiveness to what used to be a dead zone in the NBA calendar, and the Boston Celtics find themselves embroiled in a dog fight because of it.
In light of the pandemic, the NBA produced a truncated season where games would come fast and furious, with each team entering a health lottery - those that won find themselves in favorable situations, while the losers are now clawing for a playoff berth. It’s no coincidence that three of last year’s semi-finalists are all battling to make the playoffs outright and avoid the additional mileage the play-in would require.