Thinking back if I had asked you last fall as the seasons were starting for the Bruins and Celtics which would go further in the playoffs, I’m pretty sure we’d all answer Bruins. After all they were fresh off a decent run to the semis and brought back most of the previous team (minus Phil Kessel). But as the seasons started you had to sway a little to the Celtics side.
The Celtics were 23-8 at the end of 2009 and you had to think that they’d keep it up and make a deep run in the playoffs if not all the way to the Finals again. But they played almost .500 ball after the new year and limped into the playoffs as the fourth seed.
Meanwhile the Bruins started off fast but a 10 game losing streak in January into February had them at 23-22-10. Following the Pittsburgh rematch after the Savard hit they team ran off an 8-3-1 mark heading into the postseason. A vast difference from the Celtics who limped in at 3-7 in their final 10 games.
So sure in January people were thinking the Bruins wouldn’t even make the playoffs and the Celtics would be the winter team making a playoff run. What a difference a couple months make.
The Bruins and Celtics have made it into the second round but many in the area think that this is where the Celtics run is going to end and the Bruins will prevail to the conference finals. I can include myself in this one. After all the Bruins have home ice advantage, the Celtics don’t have home court. The Bruins had a winning record against their opponent during the regular season, the C’s played .500 against the Cavs. A very deceitful .500 as the Cavs beat the snot out of the C’s in the middle two meeting while the C’s squeaked out wins in the first and fourth meetings.
So Saturday we get the Bruins at 12:30 (Sox at 1:35) and the Celtics at 8:00. I’m saying, like I did yesterday, Bruins take their series in six. Celtics lose their series in six, maybe even five. Barring Lebron James breaking an arm or leg, it’s lights out for the C’s in this round.
