"If you go back and watch the film, Boston gave Golden State that championship" - Former NBA champion claims Miami Heat would have fared better than Celtics in Finals
The Golden State Warriors were champions once again after defeating the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. The Warriors established themselves as one of the greatest dynasties in league history. However, a former NBA champion has claimed that the Miami Heat would have fared better than the Celtics in the Finals.
In an appearance on the "Locked On Heat" podcast, former Celtics and Heat player Antoine Walker discussed Golden State's championship. Walker said that the Celtics handed the Warriors the title, claiming that the Heat would have done a better job than Boston.
"I think they (Miami) would have had a better shot," Walke said. "I don't know if they could have scored enough to keep up with the Warriors, but defensively they would have been so stingy.
And that's where the Heat, and the game plan, would have been a lot different than the Celtics. I hate to take away from Golden State, but if you go back and watch the film, Boston gave Golden State that championship."
The Heat had a chance to advance to the NBA Finals, but they lost to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics did a wonderful job against the Warriors but they were eventually undone by too many turnovers. They also failed to stop Steph Curry from taking over games.
Meanwhile, Walker played in the NBA for 12 seasons. He was drafted by the Celtics in 1996, where he became a three-time All-Star. He was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2003 and became a journeyman. He played for the Atlanta Hawks and was traded back to Boston.
The former No. 6 pick also played two seasons in Miami and won a championship in 2006. He last appeared in the NBA in the 2007-08 season for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
What have Golden State Warriors done this offseason?
The Golden State Warriors have had a very eventful offseason. They started the summer by celebrating their championship win. In free agency, the Warriors lost several key role players, such as Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr.
Payton signed a three-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, while Porter joined the Toronto Raptors on a two-year contract. Damion Lee signed with the Phoenix Suns, and Juan Toscano-Anderson went to the LA Lakers. Nemanja Bjelica also left the Warriors to return to Europe.
However, despite those losses in free agency, the Warriors landed notable players, such as Donte DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green. They also drafted Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins.
James Wiseman is finally healthy, with Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody taking the right steps in their second season. The Warriors were also linked to Kevin Durant, but president Bob Myers decided to try to repeat as champions with the same group.
However, the Warriors are yet to tackle the elephant in the room. Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are all eligible to sign contract extensions.