Why Stephen A. Smith Isn’t ‘Jumping Ship’ On Celtics’ NBA Finals Chances

Although the Celtics currently rank fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, there still are plenty of reasons to believe Boston can go on a run and reach the NBA Finals.

Just ask Stephen A. Smith, who explained Friday on ESPN’s “First Take” why he’s not “jumping ship” on the Celtics despite their up-and-down season.

“Milwaukee is not the team to beat in the East; they’re one of them,” Smith said. “But Boston is right there as well. I’m not jumping ship on the Celtics.”

The C’s suffered a 98-97 loss to the Bucks on Thursday night, but Smith is convinced Boston could beat Milwaukee in the postseason if given the opportunity. In fact, this is the first time since 2015 the Bucks have won consecutive games against the Celtics.

The Celtics and Bucks won’t meet again until a possible playoff matchup.