Boston is signing Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin, each to a 10-day deal according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).
Fitts has a two-day deal with the Jazz earlier in the season but was released in January. The 6-foot-8 combo forward was playing in the G League prior to coming to terms with the Celtics.
Martin is a 6-foot-5 small forward who had been with the Pacers prior to being waived in January as well. In 27 games for Indiana, the former Butler Bulldog averaged 6.3 points per game.
Examining Boston’s Championship Odds
The Celtics were struggling during the first third of the season. Although heading into the All-Star break, the team found its footing, winning nine of its last ten games and owning the best point differential in the Eastern Conference (+5.4) on the season.
The team’s defense coming together is a major reason why Ime Udoka’s club has risen in the standings (34-26). Udoka’s decision to place Robert Williams on wings off the ball has particularly paid off and as ESPN’s Zach Lowe details, the Celtics are now approaching the number one spot in defensive efficiency (Warriors).
Being elite on defense has been a recipe for success in the playoffs and history has shown us that point differential is a key indicator when predicting playoff series wins. The road to the Finals in the Eastern Conference could come down to matchups and the Bucks are surely a tough one for Boston, though other likely opponents seem much less daunting.
The Celtics are +1600 to win the title, behind just seven teams, including the Bucks (+600), Nets (+625), and Sixers (+800). It wouldn’t be surprising to see the club further boost itself up the standings post-All-Star break, especially as trade deadline addition Derrick White (3-1 since his arrival) gets even more acclimated with the team.
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