The Boston Celtics Finals Window Is Wide Open

By: Steve Atkinson

It really can’t get any easier for the Boston Celtics who open the second round of the playoffs on Monday night against the Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid isn’t even expected to play according to Doc Rivers. With the Heat taking out the Bucks in five games in the first round the Celtics only need to get through the 76ers, and either the Heat or the Knicks. Honestly, it can’t get any easier for them. If they are knocked out at any point before the Finals, then it’s a failure.

The Boston Celtics Should Reach The NBA Finals

There really was no reason the Hawks series went as long as it did. It really is the Celtics time to shine. Tatum and Brown need a championship under their belt and this may be the only season to do it. With Browns’ contract ending after the 2024 season, the Celtics will have to pay him or trade him during the offseason. It didn’t sound like he wanted to be in Boston anyway from past quotes on podcasts.

Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown On His Future

“It’s hard coming into teams and organizations and being warm,” Brown told The Ringer. “They operate on different principles, I think. This is an organization. They look at it as a business, where they’ll tell you one thing, and then behind closed doors, they’ll say another, and they’ll trade you off. Tell you, ‘We love you,’ and they’ll be having like, ‘We’re going to trade him next week.’ I think that’s just how business is run.”

He then said later on in a press conference that he saw some quotes that were misleading and will clear things up when the time is right.

I don’t think Marcus Samart should be finishing these games. Put Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon out there. They won’t be ball hogs and flopping for no reason. All Marcus does is flop any chance he gets.

The Celtics should win the series in five over the 76ers. Then it shouldn’t matter who you play either the Heat or Knicks they should beat either of those teams. As long as Tatum has his playoff moment. They really can’t afford to take their foot off the gas at any point during these playoffs. Teams will come back and try to beat them. We saw that during the Atlanta series. That series went six games for no reason at all.