Here comes the postseason and look who has crept up the power rankings ...
The Celtics may be just the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, but they have opened enough eyes while going 4-2 in the bubble to change some of the national media's narrative. All of a sudden, Brad Stevens' team is being viewed as an actual contender by some.
For example ...
Two national media outlets -- CBSSports.com and The Athletic -- have vaulted the Celtics to No. 2 overall in their respective power rankings. For CBSSports, it is a jump from No. 4 where the C's resided a week before. The Athletic's altered perception has Boston vaulting from the No. 7 spot.
While NBA.com and The Score each have the Celtics a bit lower, sitting at No. 5, each outlet acknowledges the aforementioned momentum. Radio.com also has the Celtics locked into the fifth spot.
ESPN.com does have the Celtics as low as No. 7, but it is a one-spot improvement from the week before.
The Celtics have two more games before heading into the playoffs, taking on Memphis Tuesday and then Washington Thursday. Their likely first-round opponent remains Philadelphia.