The Milwaukee Bucks were dominating the Eastern Conference before the NBA paused its 2019-20 season in mid-March due to COVID-19.
Now, with the league preparing to resume the season in July, some former NBA stars believe the Boston Celtics are the “best” threat to derail the Bucks.
Make no mistake: Paul Pierce and Kendrick Perkins are convinced Boston can top the Bucks once play resumes. And the former Celtics made it clear recently on separate appearances on ESPN.
“Boston poses the best threat (to Milwaukee), and not because I played for Boston,” Pierce said Friday on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown.” “When you look at their roster, you know, Jayson Tatum started playing like a superstar before the work stoppage. And, in my opinion, Boston has the best starting five in the NBA.”
I’ll wait pic.twitter.com/CIjA0cGeRW
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) June 26, 2020
Perkins used a similar logic during an appearance on “SportsCenter.”
“It’s hard for me to go against O’Canada and I think the Coach of the Year Nick Nurse and a rising star in (Pascal) Siakam, but I gotta be a homer here. I gotta roll with the Boston Celtics,” Perkins said. “When you look at the Boston Celtics, they have one rising star in Jayson Tatum, who was playing at an extremely high level (before play was paused in March). They have Kemba Walker, who’s one of the best point guards in the league and one of the best scorers in the league. And then you have one of the best two-way players in Jaylen Brown. And Gordon Hayward, we know about Gordon. He’s finally healthy. He could go for 30 points any given night. And then they have the heart and soul, Marcus Smart, because you know what about Marcus Smart? If you see him in a fight with a bear, you’d better help the bear.
“So I’m looking at this Celtic lineup and I’m like, damn. They are very dangerous, they play together, they’re well-coached and I think they pose the biggest threat to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference.”
Damn it’s hard for me not to Rock with the Coach Of The Year Nick Nurse and rising star in Siakam…but I gotta roll with the Celtics coming outta of the East this year! ??♂️ pic.twitter.com/W1en8grCCv
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) June 27, 2020
Hard to argue with that.
The Celtics will resume play July 31 against the Bucks, with tip-off slated for 6:30 p.m. ET.
