1 reason the Raptors are better than these 3 play-in contenders

2 of 3

Oct 9, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket while Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. (33) defends. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Boston Celtics: Lack of depth

Constantly a playoff contender with three Conference Finals appearances since 2017, the Celtics appear in decline. They finished 36-36 last season, and they are 15-16 this season sitting eighth in the East two spots higher than Toronto.

After eight seasons of Brad Stevens coaching the team, he has moved to the front office and Ime Udoka is now the head coach. They have stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but the rest of this team is simply not pulling their weight.

Other young players like Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith and the Celtics may need a roster shakeup to return to serious contention in the East.

They are in the bottom third in the NBA in field goal attempts, field goal percentage, Assists, and 3-point percentage. As is the case with Toronto, Boston struggles with their bench production, averaging only 28.8 points per game.

The Toronto Raptors could benefit from the Celtics’ lack of depth.

Stevens’ former boss Danny Ainge weighed in recently on his thoughts on what ails the Celtics.

"“Well, last year, I think we lost more players to injury and COVID than any other team. And I think that’s part of it. This year is the same way. I think one of the most frustrating things about the team has just been — last year and this year — just every day you’re looking at the injury report to see who’s playing. It’s just been one guy after another. And when you missing two or three key players each night, it takes a toll.”"

The Celtics should have the talent to compete at the highest levels in the East considering the playoff experience of their roster. However, the lack of a full roster and consistency when everyone is healthy has doomed this team.

Even if they get back to full health, players like Nesmith, Langford, and Grant Williams aren’t playing like first-round picks drafted in the positions they were taken. This team is dependant on Brown and Tatum making magic happen, which could help them run into trouble down the stretch.