Stephen A. sees the opportunity for the Celtics to be challenged before the NBA Finals | First Take
Stephen A. sees the opportunity for the Celtics to be challenged before the NBA Finals | First Take
On First Take, Stephen A. Smith, Tim Legler and Andraya Carter debate whether the Boston Celtics will be challenged before the NBA Finals.
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50 Comments
I am not even a Celtics fan, but all the other teams in the east are looking way too vulnerable to actually challenge them. Tell me one team you could actually see beating Boston in the east.
Crazy cuz bucks saving dame n giannis for celtics
Nahhh no kp n horford old… Celtics still might screw up 😅😅
Nahhh indiana not doing anything 😅
Celtics will lose to Lakers or Suns in the Finals btw and Denver and Wolves are far more superior than these teams LMAO
Queta should have a chance..
Cavs in 6
This conversation is why the game is played on court never know what freak things can happen
The problem w/ the Pacers is their inconsistency. They can beat the best of the best, but as we've seen they'll also lose to the worst of the worst. It wouldn't surprise me if they lost in the first round and it wouldn't surprise me if they went toe-to-toe with Boston in the conference finals.
Luke Kornet, Sam Howser, Payton Pritchard and the rest of the reliable bench. Also you aren't giving coach Mazzulla enough RESPECT. In about 3 years you are going to say that Joe M is one of the best coaches in the game. Also she said yesterday that the Celtics will not get past the second round without KP and now she is saying that no team will beat them. In fact she is now saying that thee Celtics will win each series in less than 7 games. I agree with her but she waffled on how she feels about the Celtics. Now I still like this new face on ESPN. I miss the old crew though before the axe hit so now I don't watch on TV anymore. ESPN has i's own agenda. Being a Boston sports fan you tend to shy away from ESPN.
Do these people even watch Celtics games?! They act like the Celtics didn’t play the majority of their games with someone out of the lineup, be it KP, Al, Jrue, etc.
Keep in mind without KP the Celtics were 19-4 before they played yesterday. That makes them 20-4 without KP after yesterday! lol. Yeah. Wait until the Finals to "challenge" them. I agree with Stephen A just that sometimes they beat themselves (named JB deciding to turn the ball over a gazillion times), but they generally are the better team each night. Best record in the league and awesome record even without KP. Would love a healthy KP for Finals. Dude is almost never healthy.
anybody can challenge them because they don’t stay focused consistently. nobody in the east can beat them and if Murray isn’t healthy, Denver can’t either
We are 21-4 without porzingis
Im only taking Leggs take and Andies…SAS knows little about 🏀 and even less about all other sports (his numbers and takes are given to him) he'll tell you about the stars of each team (you can read an article and get that info) but he will NEVER tell you about TEAM BALL cause he doesnt really know. He's been paid and placed into a position because he was weak enough to follow THEIR script💯
Knicks will rag doll the Celtics. They soft af.
With a banged up Eastern conference, its a complete cakewalk for the Celtics going to the finals. The only challenge is who will come out the West.
But if the celtics were playing in the West, I don't think they will get past the 1st round
I think they get to finals and get smoked in 5….. those boys are not like that. tatum and brown too much lebron in them and not enough jordan
Knicks and sixers have a real opportunity to get to the finals with Boston missing Porzingis.
I like the new analyst Andrea. Pretty, professional and can talk hoops!
Jayson Tatum's work ethic is our only enemy now
No one watches the celtics
I’m in Milwaukee and Boston will sweep Indy 💯
thank you sas for giving indy props!!!
Where’s JJ been at ?
Knicks
Bucks
Bucks, Heat, Knicks and Sixers were the toughest competition in the east for the Celtics but Heat was without 2 of their best players, Bucks is now without their 2 best players and almost eliminated, Sixers has an embiid problem and the Knicks haven't figured out how to play playoff basketball.
Celtics have a healthy team, well coached and lots of playoff experience. Right now they should be clear to win it all in the eas
Stephen A has always hated the C's since time began.
Celtics don’t really have depth
Wen u talk about depth you talking about a team like the wolves
Celtics 22-3 without Porzingis this season.
lol only team that will beat the Celtics is themselves… that’s the truth.
Indiana can score but they cannot defend
Boston got lucky that Miami didn’t have Butler and Rozier. The Cavs would give Boston with no KP a 6 game series but lose I mean the Cavs have Mitchell and size of Mobley and Allen. If the Bucks somehow comes back 3-1 from the Pacers and they win. Giannis and Dame might comeback and they’ll beat the Knicks or Philly in the second round and the Bucks beats Boston in the ECF
7 game series is better for Porzingis to have time to return
Every like this comment gets I will do a push up
Like this comment if you like " BASKETBALL"
Jaylen Brown ENTER his 1st YEAR PRIMES 💪🔥💪
If Kristaps Porzingis stay healthy this season & consistent 2024 playoffs Boston big chance get #18 banner this season 💪🔥💪
! liked my 0wn comm3nt
one way to beat this Celtics Team is to put the best defender to Tatum or double him and then have a media post something like Jaylen is better than Tatum 😂
Everyone forgot the heat was hurt smh
My Celtics been knocking on the door for too long to let Porzingus be the reason they lose. Porzingus hasn’t proven himself in the playoffs this is the best regular season he’s had tho he averaged 24 a night in Washington
Bruh… The celtics won by 30 and JT took 9 shots. There should be no real challenge before the finals.
The constant, undeserved belief in a team that has CONSISTENTLY for years and years played below their roster is insane to me.
The only team that could challenge the Boston Celtics is the Boston Celtics. They do this year in and year out, they're always the best, most dominant team to come into the playoffs but then they'll typically have a mistake-filled game or shoot themselves out of a game in every series. But when they're on, nobody's beating them. Realistically, the only team I see giving Boston some trouble is the Knicks but even then it's not anymore than a 6 game series. Denver's the one team out of all that can give Boston the most trouble.
Andraya the best thing to ever happen to first take
Hey, Steven, Miami could score too, but the C's held them to SEASON lows in scoring for 3 consecutive games……the last half of that without Porzingus.
As a Golden State Warriors fan, I hope the Celtics win it all. Number of reasons:
1. Pisses Stephen A off the fact the Knicks haven't won a chip in 51 years encounting…..
2. Retribution for 2022, Larry Bird can rub it in Magic's face the Celtics have 18 chips to the Lakers 17.
3. Boston is hands down THE best sports town with the greatest fans, PERIOD.
4. Boston HATES NY sports teams the way SF HATES LA sports teams, that's a fact.
Lane is way more open with AL which makes the game easier at times, ball moves faster, more open shots. It's a + against the cavs maybe knicks… We'll see