Stephen A. Smith Picks The Boston Celtics As Eastern Conference Favorites: “Celtics Are The Team To Beat In The East”

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Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics are looking set for a strong finish to the 2021-22 NBA regular season as the final 10 games of the season look set to begin for every team. The Celtics have 9 regular-season games left to try and push further up the Eastern Conference standings, as they are just 2 games behind conference leaders Miami Heat.

The Celtics resurgence has been one of the best stories of the second half of the season. The fans of the team have bought into this being yet another year of contention for Boston, and NBA analysts are now recognizing the threat Boston can present in the Eastern Conference playoffs.  

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was highly complimentary of the Celtics and picked them as his favorite to be the best team in the East. He mightily praised the efforts of coach Ime Udoka, and then the star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

“Udoka, what he has done, I can’t say enough. This guy is legitimately a top 2 coach of the year candidate. This team, look at them defensively. They’re like a bunch of piranhas. They switch everywhere. You have 5 guys that get out on shooters better than anybody I’ve ever seen.”

“Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have elevated their level of play. I want to see it be more consistent because you weren’t that way at the beginning of the season and are flowing now in the last 30+ games, the playoffs are a different beast. But when you come to the playoffs, the game slows down a little bit. You don’t get as many open-court opportunities, defenses are able to get back and set their defense right, we know this about playoff basketball. Nobody wants Boston to do that, because if Boston does that, it makes their defense even more formidable.”

Smith is putting adequate respect on the Celtics as they deserve. However, teams like Miami and Milwaukee are just as dangerous with their personnel and solid coaching foundations. Philadelphia has a new weapon in James Harden who is under immense pressure to win. Brooklyn has become a sleeper threat as well. It will be interesting to see how the Celtics fare through the playoffs. 

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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