Worried about the Boston Celtics? Kevin Durant isn’t.
Speaking with reports Monday, one day ahead of the Golden State Warriors’ matchup with Boston at Oracle Arena, Durant expressed confidence in the Celtics despite their ongoing struggles. KD believes the C’s possess “top talent” and will be fine once the playoffs get underway.
Durant evidently isn’t the only one who thinks this way, as Stephen A. Smith echoed the Warriors star’s sentiments during Tuesday’s edition of “First Take” on ESPN.
Smith makes a legitimate point about the current top teams in the Eastern Conference. The Milwaukee Bucks have been one-and-done in each of their last eight trips to the postseason, while the Toronto Raptors have developed a reputation for falling short of expectations. Both teams have put together tremendous regular seasons, but it might be a little ambitious to expect they’ll coast to the Eastern Conference finals.
That said, the Celtics flipping the switch might not be as easy as Smith makes it out to be. Sure, Boston arguably has the strongest roster in the East, but if it enters the playoffs fully immersed in struggles, it likely will suffer an early exit. But if the C’s can build a little momentum over the course of their final 18 regular-season games, they quickly could become a tough out come spring.
All told, it sure feels like this season’s Eastern Conference crown couldn’t be more up for grabs.
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