The Boston Celtics overhauled their roster in the offseason with the goal of flying the number 18 flag.
Because of the changes, Celtics legend Paul Pierce said Boston is an “easy” choice to win the NBA championship when he joined Skip Bayless and Keyshawn Johnson on “Undisputed” on Tuesday.
“It’s easy, Skip, easy, and I’m not a homebody,” said Pierce. “The Boston Celtics easily have the best starting five in all of basketball.”
Added Pierce: “Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are coming into their prime as we speak. We’ve seen what they can do.”
Even with the loss of Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III, Pierce believes the Celtics have only improved with the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. “Jrue Holiday, the veteran leader who replaces Marcus Smart,” Pierce said. “… A man with a master’s pedigree. These have to be favorites. What other top five is better than the Boston Celtics?
When Johnson picked the Milwaukee Bucks out of the East, Pierce immediately poked holes in the Super Bowl champion’s reasoning and fiercely defended Tatum when Johnson asked the Celtics star that he wasn’t a player the team could rely on night in and night out. out
“The Celtics are the worst possible matchup for Milwaukee,” Pierce explained. “They have two dynamic, athletic wings (Tatum and Brown). Who can guard them in Milwaukee?
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“We’re not going to talk about Tatum not being a replacement or whether he’s coming,” Pierce added. “We’re not talking about James Harden. That’s off topic. We’re talking about Tatum — he’s showing up.
Pierce was convinced that the Celtics would come out of the East and choose the Phoenix Suns as their opponent in the NBA Finals, even without Chris Paul.
“The way the game is played today, (teams) don’t need a traditional point guard anymore,” Pierce said. “… We’re going to get guys who can play with or without the ball. We don’t need a friend, a helper to put us in our place. It is no longer needed in today’s game. If we could get a guard who is dynamic, who can shoot, who can play; that’s all you really need.”
The Celtics will have their first chance to show the league and its fans that they are the top contender in the Eastern Conference when they travel to the Big Apple to face the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.
