Celtics Jockey For Playoffs, Lottery Pick

Circumstance is requiring Boston Celtics fans to rethink an important concept.

Like it or not, the Celtics are going to make the playoffs. They have won 31 games. They are too good to get a decent lottery pick.

Ponder for a minute. Say the Celtics gag in the next 10 days and slip into the lottery. There would be almost no chance for them to draw the proper four-number combination for the No. 1 pick in the draft. The overwhelming odds are they would be drafting from whatever place their record puts them. They would have the 10th or 11th pick.

If they make the playoffs they’ll have the 12th pick.

Factor in the likelihood that slews of talented underclassmen will be teeming in the draft pool. What’s the difference between the 11th and the 12th pick?

What the heck. They’ve already won too many games to do themselves any good. Why not go ahead and play Orlando in the first round of the playoffs?

“The regular season is just 82 games to work on what you have to do and jockey for playoff position,” Celtics guard Dee Brown said. “Look, Seattle had the best record in the league and they lost (to Denver) in the first round of the playoffs. Did Seattle have a good season? No. Say we get into the playoffs and make it to the second round. Did we have a good season? Yes.”