The Boston Celtics have been flexing their championship potential throughout the season, and with their recent win, they solidified their position as serious contenders. Their 40th win of the year made them the first team to meet Phil Jackson's 40-before-20 criteria, which states that a team must win 40 games before losing 20 to be considered an elite team.
Phil Jackson, renowned as one of the greatest coaching figures in basketball history with 13 championships as both a coach and player, introduced this criterion in 2008 during the Lakers' revival led by Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. While it may seem like a straightforward concept, this rule helps separate the contenders from the pretenders and provides an accurate measure of teams with a real shot at winning the coveted Larry O'Brien Trophy in June.
