The Celtics would probably like to avoid Miami if possible.
On Saturday evening, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics picked up their eighth straight road win (and eighth straight win overall) with a road domination of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The win extended Boston’s enormous lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers for first place in the Eastern Conference, and Tatum showed great discipline in limiting his shot attempts when it was clear his teammates had it going.
While Boston certainly looks like the favorite to represent the East in the NBA Finals, former Celtics legend Paul Pierce recently broke down why he still fears one team more than anyone else.
“You only got one legit team, Miami,” said Pierce, per DraftKings Network (via Emo Jimmy on X, the social media platform formerly referred to as Twitter). “…even though they are where they at, that’s the only team I be like ‘dang, I really am scared of.’”
The Miami Heat were the clear underdogs against Boston last year in their matchup in the Eastern Conference Finals, but it mattered not, as Jimmy Butler led Miami to a 3-0 lead before hanging on for dear life and knocking out the Celtics for good in Game 7. Of course, most pundits would tell you that Boston’s roster now is much improved over the still-impressive cast of characters the team boasted last year.
Still, there is such a thing as a mental block when it comes to the NBA playoffs, and it’s unclear at this point whether the Celtics have rid themselves of the fear of Butler that could clearly be seen throughout the first three games last year.
About the Author
Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.
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