Stephen A. Smith makes emphatic Boston Celtics NBA title prediction
With just over a month to go in the regular season, the Boston Celtics have a commanding lead on the NBA's best record. As the postseason gets ready to begin, Stephen A. Smith shared his thoughts on who will come away with the title.
During a recent episode of ESPN's "First Take," Stephen A. stated that he believes the Celtics will come away with the championship. He's a firm believer in Jayson Tatum's star power, and thinks Jaylen Brown will come up big for them.
"I think Boston's going to win the championship," Stephen A. said. "[Jayson Tatum] has something to prove. I just believe in his greatness and his character. I believe that Jayson Tatum is a superstar in this league who has struggled in moments but I have also seen him have big moments in big moments."
"I have no doubt that Jaylen Brown is gonna show up."
Heading into the final stretch, the Boston Celtics are first in the Eastern Conference with a 51-14 record. They also have the league's best offense, along with the second best defense behind the Minnesota Timberwolves.
While he hasn't generated a lot of MVP buzz, Tatum is having one of his best seasons as a pro. Through 62 games, he is averaging 27.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists.
Should the Boston Celtics be viewed as the favorites to win the NBA title?
Seeing that they've been head and shoulders above the competiton all year, it's not surprising to see Stephen A. Smith side with the Boston Celtics. After making some changes to the roster in the offseason, they are in a prime position to get back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2022.
The driving force for Boston is they have arguably the best starting lineup in the league. The additions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have paid huge dividends, along with Derrick White being impactful on both ends.
One case that can be made against the Boston Celtics is their depth. Stephen A. might feel their second unit is underrated, but they don't have many reliable options. Because of this, they'll have to rely heavily on their starters through all four rounds. This could prove to be costly come the end of the playoffs.
Another thing to point out is the Celtics have failed to beat one of the other top title favorites this year. That being the defending champion Denver Nuggets. They faced off twice in the regular season, with Nikola Jokic and company picking up wins on both occasions.
Nonetheless, the Celtics are right to be viewed as the favorites to win it all this season. They've proven for months now that their collection of talent is nearly impposible to slow down on a nightly basis.