ESPN predicts Boston Celtics to win the Eastern Conference

Months ago, it seemed like it was just a matter of time before the Boston Celtics found Ime Udoka's replacement. The team was struggling, their defense was off, and there were rumors of a big roster overhaul ahead of the trade deadline.

Fast-forward to today and it's clear that the Celtics have found their groove. The players have bought into Udoka's system, their defensive effort has been remarkable, and they continue to find ways to win games.

The Celtics are now fourth in the Eastern Conference with nine games left to play in the regular season. They trail the Miami Heat by a couple of wins, yet Stephen A. Smith believes they're the team to beat in that conference.

Stephen A. Smith Says The Boston Celtics Will Come Out Of The East

"Udoka, what he has done, I can't say enough," Smith started. "This guy is legitimately a top 2 coach of the year candidate. This team, look at them defensively. They're like a bunch of piranhas. They switch everywhere. You have 5 guys that get out on shooters better than anybody I've ever seen."

"Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have elevated their level of play. I want to see it be more consistent because you weren't that way at the beginning of the season and are flowing now in the last 30+ games, the playoffs are a different beast," Smith added. "But when you come to the playoffs, the game slows down a little bit. You don't get as many open-court opportunities, defenses are able to get back and set their defense right, we know this about playoff basketball. Nobody wants Boston to do that, because if Boston does that, it makes their defense even more formidable."

The East is more stacked than ever this season so making a prediction is as bold as it could be risky. But judging by what we've seen, this take may not be that far-fetched. That assuming they finally put their postseason woes from the Brad Stevens era behind them.