Ime Udoka Pushes Back On Celtics’ Lack Of Experience Before NBA Finals

The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics will take on the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, with Game 1 set for Thursday at Chase Center in San Francisco.

The young Celtics core will be tasked with facing an experienced group of Warriors as underdogs, as Golden State has been to six NBA Finals in the last eight seasons.

Celtics head coach Ime Udoka was asked on Wednesday during his media availability how much experience matters at this stage of the playoffs, and downplayed the idea that his team is at a disadvantage in that regard.

“I think once you get out of the initial media circus and intensity and how everything is much more exaggerated, obviously it’s not much different when you get on the court,” Udoka told reporters, as seen via NBA’s Twitter. “We have guys that are young but have been through a few Eastern Conference finals already and then our path this year, two Game 7’s and playing some high-level teams and taking a tough route. I think that’s prepared us more than anything.

“I coached in two finals. My first two years in the league I got to the Western Conference finals as a player myself. And then we’ve had other coaches who have been through it and won championships as well so we can give our advice on what’s to come, but once we get out there I think what’s really been good about our group is they are not caught up in the moment. Game 7’s, playing on the road you see our record (7-2 on the road this postseason), and more than anything it’s just basketball at the end of the day. That’s what we try to stress and I think that’s the benefit of our group. Being so young and approaching it that way.”

The Celtics have yet to be fazed by the postseason stage thus far, and are just four wins away from being crowned as NBA champions for the 2021-22 season. Tipoff for Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for 9 p.m. ET.