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NBA Trade Deadline 2018: 5 trades to help Boston keep its momentum

By Jeremy Lambert

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 14: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans high fives his teammates during the game against the New York Knicks on January 14, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 14: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans high fives his teammates during the game against the New York Knicks on January 14, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Five trades to help the Boston Celtics hold on to the number one spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Boston Celtics have lost five of their last six. They currently sit one game better than the Toronto Raptors in the race for first in the Eastern Conference. Did they peak too early? Is the compacted schedule finally catching up to them? Is a basketball actually flat?

The Celtics have a well-constructed roster that has one potential downfall: They are young. They are relying on Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, and Marcus Smart to play meaningful playoff roles. The latter three have playoff experience, but will it be enough to to compete alongside Kyrie Irving and Al Horford?

Boston is unlikely to make any major changes at the deadline. Danny Ainge constructed this roster to compete not only this season, but for the next 10 seasons. He won’t change his plans just because the team overcame Gordon Hayward’s injury and are, by most accounts, overperforming.

Also, who really wants to trade with Ainge? You think you have a deal and then he refuses to include Jabari Bird, negating everything you talked about for eight hours.

But maybe, just maybe, the Celtics swing a deal that ensures them the top seed and increases their odds of winning the East. Here are some possibilities.

5. Get the Beard. No, not that one. The other one.

Guerschon Yabusele would be the sticking point here. Tyson Chandler, despite his age, is an upgrade over Aron Baynes and Shane Larkin is unlikely to get off the bench in the playoffs. Yabusele is needed to make the money work, but I could see Ainge being unwilling to part with the 22-year-old power forward.

Not only are the Celtics getting a solid center, they are getting his beard as well. That beard will be very important come playoff time. Trust me.

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