Celtics ranked just 7th in recent ESPN ‘Way Too Early’ power rankings

The Boston Celtics are ranked just seventh in ESPN’s recent “Way too early” NBA Power Rankings — why?

The Boston Celtics might have been the third-to-last team to be booted from the 2020 NBA Playoffs with much of their core returning, but for whatever reason they are getting no love in a recent NBA Power Ranking by ESPN.

The Celtics find themselves ranked seventh overall in the Bristol, Connecticut-based sports network’s estimation, trailing the expected candidates in the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks for first through third place respectively, but also oddly the Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors, in that order.

While the rise of Jamal Murray and growth of Luka Doncic of course is a factor, how that elevates either team above Boston with not only Jayson Tatum making the leap to superstar status but Jaylen Brown to All-Star is a little unclear.

Particularly when, by their own admission, Dallas needs a healthy Kristaps Porzingis to hit their full potential.

We understand the safe harbor of betting on a healthy Klay Thompson and Steph Curry, however.

As for their rationale for putting Boston seventh?

“While most of the team is under contract for next season, the biggest uncertainty is whether Gordon Hayward will opt in to his $34.1 million player option for 2020-21 … ,” opined Tim Bontemps. “Otherwise, Boston enters the offseason with three first-round picks with which to work.”

“Kemba Walker’s health will be a priority after he dealt with knee issues for all of this calendar year, as will the growth of their two franchise wing players, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown,” he added.

While it is fair to worry about the health of Walker’s knee, it seems unfair to ding Boston much for a guy who only played five games in the postseason, and only two of them looking like himself.

While there are plenty of question marks about this team going forward, there are also a lot of possibilities in terms of ways the front office could make the team better, so for us, seventh feels at least two slots too low.

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