Avery Bradley channeled the 2004 Red Sox when asked how his Boston Celtics will fare next season.
NBA Finals? Why not us?
“I’m telling all of my friends and all of my teammates if we continue to work and prepare for next year, anything is possible for us,” Bradley told The Boston Globe. “We made it to the playoffs this year and nobody expected us. Why not get to the championship? No one is expecting us to do it. Why not?”
Bradley was in Cleveland on Thursday to watch the Cavaliers, who ended the Celtics’ season in the opening round of this year’s NBA playoffs, fall to the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the Finals.
“Of course, it (gives me motivation),” Bradley told the Globe. “Not only that, seeing a team that knocked us out being in the championship, it lets us know how close we are. Every game (against Cleveland) was close and we had a lot of young mistakes that we can learn from and we’re going to be prepared for next year.”
The 24-year-old never has tasted the Finals himself, though. He was drafted on June 24, 2010 — seven days after Boston dropped Game 7 of the 2010 Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers.
And few expect the C’s — surprise playoff participants this season — to be back on basketball’s biggest stage any time soon. Bradley, though, has high hopes.
“I’m excited, really excited,” he told the Globe. “I think we’re going to do good, big things.”
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
