NBA Power Rankings: Cavaliers are right where they want to be

. Boston Celtics. 12. team. 18. After giving up an outrageous 42 first quarter points in a home loss to the Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics head coach, Brad Stevens, rebranded the Celtics as a “finesse team”. Pretty much insinuating that the preseason hype has gotten to some of his players and that those that have been on the floor haven’t been playing the type of basketball that Stevens and Danny Ainge for the matter, expect of this franchise. <p>The Boston Celtics destined ascension to the number two slot in the East has hit an early road bump. Star free agent signing Al Horford has missed the team’s last three games while in the NBA’s concussion protocol program. On top of that, Jae Crowder has been sidelined with a sprained left ankle after exiting the Celtics’ second meeting with the Chicago Bulls. That’s also with Kelly Olynyk missing the beginning of the season as well.</p> <p>In their absences, Boston has had to turn to rookie Jaylen Brown, and big man Jonas Jerebko to pick up the slack. Neither have been bad in their expanded roles, but neither have been able to replicate the success of the player’s they’re replacing in Brad Stevens’ rotation. Things in Boston are going to turn around once the roster gets healthy, but until that time comes Boston will need to be able to count on the players that are out on the court to do what Stevens’ asks of them.</p> <p>The Celtics still have a number of good, healthy, pieces on their roster and with Stevens on the sideline he’ll make sure to get the most out of his players. Boston–along with all 29 other NBA franchises–has more than enough time to get back on track to reach their lofty preseason goals. Given time, things should get righted in New England, and the Celtics will be a team vying for home court in the postseason.</p>.