Charles Barkley must not be a very big fan of the Nets.
Following Brooklyn’s play-in victory over Cleveland, Chuck said he has no hope of them getting past the Celtics in Round 1.
Here’s the clip:
“There’s no way they can beat the Celtics. They [the Nets] got two great players and they both probably played as good as they can play. Kevin Durant was fabulous with his passing and his defense. Kyrie was great. Other than that, I know they can’t beat the Celtics now. All these fools on these other morning talk shows can let this ship sail. Both of those guys played great and they barely beat a mediocre Cavs team.”
Charles Barkley again says Nets won't beat the Celtics https://t.co/93gndwEM1L
— Alex 👋 (@Dubs408) April 13, 2022
It’s bold to dismiss the Nets so easily, but Chuck isn’t completely crazy.
This season, the Celtics had one of the greatest mid-season turnarounds in recent NBA history. After getting off to a slow, sluggish start, Boston rallied into shape and finished as the 2nd seed in the East.
Now, they have some people wondering if they are a contender to win it all.
“I think that’s a team that might be the sleeper that comes out or gets to the Eastern Conference Finals when people don’t expect them to because they’ve been hooping,” said Danny Green on the Celtics. “They’ve been playing defense. Their offense has helped their defense because they’ve been playing a lot smoother, more together, which was interesting to me.” (h/t NBC Sports)
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown form one of basketball’s best duos. Together, they have propelled the Celtics to a place of prosperity.
Unfortunately, their hardest test yet will come in Round 1. Against an experienced ad talented Brooklyn team, they will face overwhelming challenges.
If they’re able to get through and come out alive, however, it could be proof enough to convince everyone just how much of a threat they really are.
