The Best Team in the NBA Resides Where?

After last night's 113-103 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, your Boston Celtics (15-2) have the best record in the NBA. Detroit (13-5), Orlando (16-4), Phoenix (15-4) and San Antonio (16-3) are the other top contenders but for a brief moment, you can legitimately say the Celtics are the top dogs. Does this mean anything? Not really but after the nightmare of the last few seasons, this team's immediate success is nothing short of remarkable for a city that had gotten way familiar with losing seasons.

Philly (5-13) actually made this a contest for almost the whole game. The Sixers led 32-26 after one quarter and 57-52 at halftime. The alarming thing for the Celtics was that they've played such good defense in the beginning of the season and they made the Sixers look like the Warriors or Suns for the first half.

On queue, the C's defense came alive in the second half as they outscored the Sixers, 61-46. Two of Boston's big three played well: Kevin Garnett (22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals) and Paul Pierce (22 points, 12 assists) led the way while teammate Ray Allen (12 points) shot 3 for 12. One of the most surprising parts of this team thus far has been the supporting players. Nobody knew James Posey and Eddie House were this good, right? Posey (17 points, 5 rebounds) and House (15 points) consistently bring a great effort off the bench, making it easier for KG, Pierce and Allen to play their games without worrying about doing everything (like they had all been used to with their old teams). Tony Allen and Kendrick Perkins both scored eight while Rajon Rondo and Glen Davis notched six points.

Andre Miller (26 points, 12 assists) and Andre Iguodala (24 points) were impressive but the Sixers folded in the second half after playing probably their best half of the season.

The key for the C's was that they made 10 3-pointers (Philly had 4) while also making 12 more free throws (23-11). Boston made the tough shots and they also earned the points by getting to the line. Once Philly's shots stopped falling, they were done. Nobody outside of Iguodala and Miller can get to the hoop.

Boston hosts Toronto on Friday. It'll be the return battle after Boston stole that overtime win in Toronto the first week of the season. The Raptors will be without their best player Chris Bosh, who is injured.