The Boston Celtics have been playing well all season, and they've gotten even better over the past few weeks with Jayson Tatum returning to the lineup. They're currently the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, and they have an opportunity to climb up to No. 1 with the latest news of Cade Cunningham suffering a collapsed lung.
The Detroit Pistons have been at the top of the Eastern Conference all season, and Cunningham has been the engine of their success. It's uncertain how long he'll be sidelined, but it could be three weeks or even six weeks. Either timeline will be after the regular season, which means the Pistons may have to fend without their star player down the stretch.
On the other hand, the Celtics have everything they need, and they're ready to make a run.
It won't be all easy for the Celtics, as they have the seventh hardest schedule remaining in the league. They still have matchups with the Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks, and two matchups with the Atlanta Hawks, who are currently on an 11-game winning streak. The Celtics can beat these teams, but they'll have to work for it.
Also, if the Celtics have the same record as the Pistons at the end of the season, they'll still be the No. 2 seed because they don't have the tiebreaker. That means if the Celtics want to take over the No. 1 seed, they're going to have to be a few games ahead.
The Pistons have the 15th toughest schedule remaining in the league, and that's probably good news for them as they try to navigate without their star player.
It will be interesting to see if the Celtics can make a run with a few weeks remaining in the regular season, but there's no doubt that it can be done.
