Its a good thing the NBA doesn't grade on a scale. This is pass/fail and last night, the Celtics passed (in large part due to Paul Pierce).
That puts us in a great position to win the Atlantic, but there's still the little matter of home court. You still hear people in Washington talk about wanting the 6th seed instead of the 5th because they would have a better shot at home court advantage. This despite the fact that the C's pretty much owned the Wiz in the season series.
Still, the C's played a lot better at home than on the road this year and in the playoffs, where every little edge counts, a little home cooking could go a long way. They may have passed the biggest test thus far, but they don't have long to wait for the next test. Next stop is Milwaulkee, a potential let-down game.
We're in a dead heat with the two teams we'll most likely be matched up against, so from here on out, its all about winning games and watching the scoreboard to root against Washington and Indy. (and Philly and Cleveland just for good measure)