The Boston Celtics outdueled the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday at TD Garden, raising questions about which team is better equipped to make a deep playoff run.
The Nets entered the season as the betting favorites to win the NBA title, but things haven't exactly gone according to plan in Brooklyn, and it's difficult to project their ceiling in wake of last month's James Harden-Ben Simmons trade. The Celtics, meanwhile, have been red-hot in recent weeks, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown spearheading a dramatic turnaround in Boston.
Still, Nick Wright has more confidence in the Nets, largely because Kevin Durant is capable of completely taking over a postseason series. And he isn't totally sold on Tatum -- or Brown, for that matter -- being a "superstar" despite the three-time All-Star dropping 54 points in Sunday's victory.
"What Boston has is two very good players. Not great players. Very good players," Wright said on Monday's episode of "First Things First" on FS1. " ... You guys' superstars thing, it's like the worst nightclub in the city -- 'everybody in.' ... My superstars club has a velvet robe and big bouncers. You guys are handing out fliers saying, 'Two for one drinks, please come in, the DJ's amazing.' It's terrible."
This isn't a scathing criticism, by any means. One certainly could argue Tatum and Brown still sit a notch below the NBA's truly elite players -- a group that includes the likes of Durant, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid and possibly a few others.
But the assessment probably won't sit well with Celtics fans, especially with Tatum thriving of late while Boston is playing its best basketball in years. And it might just be a matter of time before Wright has no choice but to allow Tatum into his "superstar" club.
For now, Wright will continue to hate -- just as he typically does when it comes to the Celtics.
"It's a 12-person max, preferably seven or eight guys," Wright said of his "superstar" threshold. " ... You must be a perennial first- or second-team All-NBAer, or a guy who is skyrocketing like Ja (Morant). So, right now, Jayson Tatum, he's in the club next door. It's nice. The people are almost as attractive. The music is almost as good. And everyone there is like, 'It's a good club. I want to be in the other one.' You might never get into it.
"So, no, he's not (a superstar). If he's a superstar, is Trae Young a superstar? Is DeMar DeRozan a superstar? No, they're stars. So, Antoine (Walker), I know he's your guy. But he's not a superstar."
Tatum's next opportunity to showcase his talent comes Wednesday night when the Celtics face the Hornets in Charlotte.
