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5 reasons the Boston Celtics can win the NBA Championship

By Paul Centopani

Nov 3, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) drives to the basket on Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) during the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 128-122. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 3, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) drives to the basket on Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) during the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 128-122. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Boston Celtics have had a strong season and, despite some clear flaws, have as good a chance as anyone in the Eastern Conference of winning it all.

The path to basketball nirvana is a long and winding one. In order to reach the summit of NBA immortality, peer out over the edge to see nothing but a trail of vanquished opposition, a team must navigate through a minefield of injury luck, favorable matchups, and play near-flawless basketball over a two-month stretch.

Going into the playoffs, we know each season only comes with a handful of teams possessing a realistic chance of adding hardware to their mantle. This year, the Boston Celtics happen to be one of those teams that could be hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy this June. Here are five reasons why.

5. Isaiah Thomas is having an MVP-caliber season

Every team needs a star, and no one shines brighter in the state of Massachusetts than Thomas.

In this year’s loaded class of MVP candidates, Thomas won’t land anywhere higher than fifth-place – unfortunately for him, he exists in a world where a supernova has taken on the human form in Russell Westbrook; James Harden is pushing the boundaries of Sloan Conference offensive efficiency; Kawhi Leonard and his cyborg abilities carry the load on both ends of the floor for a 60+ win machine despite having a supporting cast that’s low-key trash; And of course, LeBron James is just doing what we come to expect, subsisting in an ethereal state of basketball divinity.

Under normal circumstances, the pint-sized phenom would be at the forefront of the MVP race. Thomas is tied for second in points per contest and was dubbed King of the Fourth for averaging nearly 10 points in the game’s ultimate quarter, when defenses are locked in the most. He’s second only to Westbrook in fourth quarter scoring.

Hero-ball has gone out of style, but we’ve seen even the most modern of offenses revert to lizard-brained, mano-a-mano primitivity at the end of tight games. With rare exception, championship teams have always and will always rely on a go-to scorer when the chips are down and they need a bucket. At any given time, the list of players in the league who fit that description is a short one. Against all odds, one of the shortest players in the NBA gives the Celtics theirs.