Anyone who has watched the Celtics since the start of the season should be aware that they have one of the most talented rosters in the league. They have been putting their skill on display all season as they are the first team to hit 40 wins this season, and are sitting at first in the league with a current record of 40-12. They have been doing their best to prove that they are an elite team, and should be considered the favorites to win the NBA Finals.

The Celtics have superstar talent throughout their starting line-up, they’ve had good fortune when it comes to health, roster balance, and fourth quarter composure. Another factor that has helped get them to this point is their record at home. With a league best 25-3 record at home, this team has been near unstoppable at home. This Celtics team has had a solid balance of good offense, and championship level defense. To support this claim, the Celtics have the best net rating in the league, and it’s also one of the net ratings in NBA history. I think it’s safe to say that the addition of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have benefited Boston greatly.

Not only has Boston become the first team to reach 40 wins this season, but they also have easily cleared Phil Jackson’s “40 before 20” criteria. Phil Jackson, arguably one of the greatest head coaches of all time, said that before you can be called an elite team, you must win 40 games before you lose 20. The Celtics were able to get to 40 wins without even coming close to 20 losses this season, so it’s fair to decide that they are a highly elite team this season. As of now, they are the top team in the league and are favorites to win the NBA Finals. One must figure that Boston is hungrier than ever to win the Finals after being in the Eastern Conference Finals three out of the last four years, and losing in the Finals to the Golden State Warriors just two years ago. They have a lot to prove, and show that they can get the job done, and bring home the big hardware.