[thomorino]

Last year the Celtics struggled, Irving wasn't a leader and the Celtics had no chemistry. This year this team is coming into the season with something to prove and they have a good core of players who like playing with each other. The Celtics ball movement should be better with Walker at the point instead of Irving and they are still a young team built for the regular season. The Celtics lack of size with Horford gone will hurt them against bigger teams like Philadelphia in the playoffs, and they have no one to keep Giannis out of the paint, but in the regular season their small lineup should be fine since very few teams have impressive frontlines and Boston is likely to trade for a center if they need to at some point in the season. Heyward got whole summer to workout and get in shape too after missing most of the summer last year with rehab.

This division will likely come down to Philadelpha and Boston, Toronto should be solid but they are an older team with Lowry 35 and Gasol 35. Ibaka is older as well and Toronto won't care much about the regular season. Embiid has been rested for load management every year and Horford is 34, he will get plenty of rest as well like he did last year. Stevens has always taken the regular season seriously.

Risking 2 units to win 8.2.

[thomorino]

Celtics looking good, Embiid already being rested for minor injuries, Boston is the much younger Unger team better built for the regular season.