Magic Johnson warns Celtics of colossal collapse as hot favorites with Lakers example: "Remember the 2004 Finals?"
The Boston Celtics are entering the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks as the favored team to win but this doesn't mean that they should be complacent, according to Magic Johnson. The four-time NBA champion gives a stern warning that, despite the depth of the Celtics, they should still be wary of a possible upset, citing the 2004 NBA Finals as an example.
20 years ago, the Los Angeles Lakers, with a 'Big Four' of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone and Gary Payton, got beaten by an All-Star-less Detroit Pistons, 4-1.
This is a prime situation in which even the heavily favored team in the NBA Finals can still be beaten, as Magic Johnson points out.
"The Celtics are supposed to win the Series, but I’ve seen the team with the most talent lose before. Remember the 2004 Finals between the Lakers and Pistons?" said Johnson."Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Ben Wallace upset my Lakers with 4 Hall of Fame players: Kobe Bryant, Shaq, Gary Payton, and Karl Malone. They even had Horace Grant!"
Magic Johnson sites the factors why the Mavericks are in the NBA Finals against the Celtics
Having been the face of 80's NBA basketball, Magic Johnson has a stature that is respected throughout the basketball circles. The Hall-of-Famer has experienced a lot in his 13-year NBA career and has appeared in nine NBA Finals.
In addition to winning five championships, Johnson has also lost four times: twice against the Boston Celtics and once against the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons. For that, the three-time league MVP shares his insights on why the Dallas Mavericks are in the NBA Finals.
First, he cited Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving finding the chemistry together and another factor is Jason Kidd getting the team to rally on the defensive end.
Lastly, Johnson also gave props to Mavs GM Nico Harrison for surrounding Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic with the right pieces.
"GM Nico Harrison should get a lot of the credit! He brought in 4 new starters to play alongside Luka (Irving, Washington, Jones Jr., and Gafford) and the top two reserves (Lively and Green)," posts Johnson. "That's 6 out of 7 players getting consistent minutes - he definitely created a championship contending team."
The 2024 NBA Final between the Mavs and Celtics begins on June 6, with Game 1 being played at the TD Garden in Massachusetts. The tip-off starts at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time and it can be seen via live stream through an NBA League Pass subscription.