Celtics continue rise up Eastern Conference standings
The Boston Celtics are for real.
Equipped with a roster of seemingly random parts, the Celtics continued their rise up the Eastern Conference standings on Friday night, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers on a buzzer-beating shot by Avery Bradley.
Brad Stevens on the final play: "I thought it was a good, unselfish play by Isaiah to make that pass to Avery, and Avery hit a big shot."
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 6, 2016
Related: Avery Bradley sinks Cavs with buzzer-beating 3-pointer
Newly named All-Star Isaiah Thomas once again carried the scoring load for Boston, dropping 22 points - albeit on just 5-of-19 shooting. The 5-foot-9 spark plug has become a perfect complement to the defensive-minded Celtics, who score just 97.5 points per 100 possessions when Thomas sits.
With the trade deadline less than two weeks away, Boston could be interested in swapping a combination of depth and draft picks to land another star to play alongside Thomas. The Celtics currently rank 15th in the league in offensive efficiency, and would likely need to add another scorer to make a deep run in the postseason.
Avery Bradley for the win! First career buzzer-beating game-winner
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 6, 2016
(buzzer-beater = as time expired)
While Boston lacks star players, its current hot streak doesn't appear to be a fluke. At 30-22, the Celtics currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference and rank third in the East in point differential - a sign they're playing up to their record.
After beginning the first few months of the season trapped in the middle of the East, the Celtics have been red-hot of late, winning eight of their last 10 contests.
With rumors swirling that the Atlanta Hawks are reportedly interested in trading starters Al Horford and Jeff Teague, Boston could have a legitimate shot at landing the No. 3 seed.