Pass or Shoot: The hot Celtics, big Mavericks’ bandwagon and Lakers play-in chances

And here come the playoffs. 

It’s shocking that the regular season is almost over. It’s all good, though, because the last eightish games will be super intense as teams fight for seeding to avoid the anything-can-happen play-in series. It’s a nightmare for higher seeds and a dream for the teams scrapping for their playoff lives. Either way, what a beautiful cinema. 

Ahead of the postseason, there are some narratives out there that pundits and fans have decided to accept as truth. 

Maybe there is some truth to what they’re asserting. Maybe not.  Time to decide.

Here are some of the NBA’s hottest storylines. Pass or shoot?  

Boston Celtics are the East’s team to beat 

PASS. 

The C’s are 21-3 in their last 24 games.

Phew! Looks like they finally figured out how to win games with all that talent they boast every year. 

More importantly, franchise cornerstones Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum (The Green Jays – I’m here week and next) seem to finally be clicking – which means the rest of the league better look out. 

But are they the team to beat in the East? That’s borderline hyperbole. 

In the Tatum-Brown era (since 2017), they’ve made it to the Eastern Conference Finals twice, the East Semis once and had a first-round exit last season. That’s impressive but underwhelming. 

The biggest differences this year is no ball dominant point guard (adios Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker) and new coach Ime Udoka. Also a stifling defense (No. 1 in the league) 

Can they make something shake? Time will tell. 

For the present – the now – the team to beat in the East is the defending champions Milwaukee Bucks. 

Hop on the Mavs’ bandwagon

PASS. 

This isn’t breaking news but the Dallas Mavericks won the Spencer Dinwiddie-Kristaps Porzingis trade. Anybody watching the two teams as of late – and whoever has a general pulse for basketball – knows that. 

What should not be breaking– but is – is that everyone needs to watch out for the Mavericks as title contenders. 

Look. They’re really good, young, and have a nice swagger to them. But do they put the fear of God in a team come playoff time? Pump the brakes. 

Luka still shoots wayyyy too much despite having snipers around him. I know – I know those snipers can be streaky but trust throughout the season can alleviate that streakiness. Luka and Jason Kidd should’ve been giving those guys more touches so they will be more confident come postseason. 

Trust helps when things get tight and Luka is in a slump. A glaring weakness for the Mavs is their weak interior defense. A team with a skilled rim-rocker can give Dallas problems (See the Knicks) 

A player long and quick enough (skilled wings)  to bother giant Luka can also muck up things for the Mavs.

Depending how the seeding falls, they can make some noise in the playoffs. But contender? PASS. 

Lakers make the play-in tournament 

SHOOT. 

It’s difficult to doubt LeBron James. So difficult.

But the team around him? Uh..yeah. 

The Lakers are hanging on to the 10th spot for their dear playoff lives trying to fend off the San Antonio Spurs. And James has had put up Herculean efforts to keep a team afloat that features three other Top 75 players of all-time. 

WHAT?

It’s a sad story. And despite his fine wine game that only seems to wow even more every season, Bron Bron isn’t as young as he used to be. It’s year 19. He can no longer carry a team through season-long, playoff-long stretches. 

But can he get them through the next seven games to compete for a spot in a play-in? SHOOT.