1 advantage Raptors have over all top-four seeds in the East

Celtics: Thin rotation

While it’s hard to be too critical of a reigning conference champion who fixed their biggest need (a lack of a true point guard) by acquiring Malcolm Brogdon for pennies on the dollar, this Celtics rotation is still very top-heavy. Ime Udoka succeeded by shortening the rotation last year, but one injury could wreck things.

Marcus Smart has missed more than 10 games in all but two seasons of his eight-year career, and Al Horford is no young stallion at 36. With names like Payton Pritchard, the aging Danilo Gallinari, or Grant Williams in line to take on featured roles should this happen, Boston is playing with fire in this regard.

The Toronto Raptors need depth to beat Boston.

Toronto realized that leaning on VanVleet and Siakam as much as they did last year was not sustainable. The signing of Porter in tandem with the retention of both Young and Boucher may show a willingness to expand the rotation to nine or ten players.

This will help guard them against injury and make them a deeper team when April comes around.

The Celtics have arguably the best defense in the league and a pair of legit stars at the peak of their powers. They are not to be taken lightly. Still, Toronto beat them in the past, and they have the horses to do it again.