Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone believes the Boston Celtics have a top five offense and defense.

The Celtics are 11-3 on the season, good for second place in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Celtics are averaging 112.0 points per game, which is 14th in the NBA. They are giving up 104.4, seventh in the league. So, Malone isn't too far off with his comments.

The Celtics lost All-Star big man Al Horford to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency in the offseason. They also traded Aron Baynes to the Phoenix Suns. While Enes Kanter is a solid player, the Celtics need to upgrade their center position if they want to seriously contend for a championship. However, Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward and Marcus Smart aren’t going anywhere.

With Smart leading the charge on defense, Boston will always have an elite defensive squad. His grit and tenacity are contagious. Offensively, Walker has been great in his first season with the Celtics, while Tatum and Brown have shown flashes of being All-Star talents.

Boston's three loses on the season have come to the Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers. Overall, they have been stout on both sides of the ball.