One all-time Boston Celtics rival had no other choice but to tip his cap after an absolute four-quarter cakewalk over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.
Before tipoff from Footprint Center, the Suns were tied for first place in the Western Conference, marking the matchup as one of the most highly anticipated up to that point for the Celtics. Yet, it could barely be described as a contest and one ex-NBA legend couldn’t have worded his reaction any more perfectly.
Former Los Angeles Lakers great and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, who underwent his fair share of unforgettable battles that’ll forever live in the Celtics history book, likely shared a similar takeaway with many Boston fans after the final buzzer sounded.
“The Boston Celtics are undeniably the best team in the NBA!! They had a 45 point lead in the 3rd quarter tonight against the Suns and the Suns have the best record in the West!” Johnson tweeted shortly after the game ended.
Words couldn’t describe just how much the Celtics managed to toy with the Suns.
As sweet as it sounds to hear an ex-Lakers star praise the Celtics, especially while the Lakers struggle to stay out of dead last in the West, nothing new was shown. Boston proved that Phoenix — like most opponents the Celtics have battled through their first 26 games — didn’t belong on the same floor.
The Celtics, as Johnson highlighted, built a 45-point lead at one point. With the win, the Celtics remained atop the NBA standings at 21-5 in the early campaign.
They’ll be tasked next to face off against the Golden State Warriors for the first time since sharing the floor in the NBA Finals back in June. Tipoff on Saturday from Chase Center is set for 8:30 p.m. ET.
