FOXBORO, Mass. -- In many ways, the Boston Celtics exemplify the qualities that Bill Belichick likes to see from his Patriots teams.
(Except for the constant flopping and complaining about the officiating, of course.)
New England's head coach led Tuesday's media availability with thoughts on the Celtics, who are set to play the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals. Belichick also revealed what he most likes about this Celtics team, whose hard-nosed playstyle has fueled a run to basketball's biggest stage.
"Cheering for the Celtics," Belichick said before a voluntary OTAs practice outside Gillette Stadium. "So, congratulations to the team, staff, the organization. Great accomplishment. Look forward to seeing that play out."
Belichick added: "They played great in the last two-thirds of the season, the playoffs. Really consistent, they've got a lot of good players. Play really good defense. They're tough, they hustle. Play smart basketball. Pleasure to watch, fun to watch."
The Celtics and Warriors will begin the NBA Finals with Game 1 on Monday night. Tip-off from Chase Center is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET.
As for the Patriots, they went through a largely uneventful practice Tuesday, focusing on conditioning and scheme installation over competitive drills. New England will practice again Wednesday and Thursday before returning next week for mandatory minicamp.
