Why Celtics’ Conference Finals Sweep Did Not Impress Nick Wright

Nick Wright is willing to acknowledge a few things about the Boston Celtics.

Wright on Tuesday admitted no one will care about the path Jayson Tatum and company took a title if they are able to raise an 18th banner at TD Garden. The “First Things First” co-host also believes the Celtics have nothing to apologize for and deserve credit for taking advantage of their lighter playoff route, which was earned by putting together such a successful regular season.

However, Boston only dropping two games en route to the NBA Finals didn’t move the needle for Wright.

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“Have I been impressed by the Celtics at any moment this postseason? No. Was I impressed by the Celtics at any moment in the Eastern Conference finals? No,” Wright said Tuesday on FS1.

“I am not trying to denigrate what they’ve accomplished. But I am being honest that I think there are eight teams in the league that if they had played Miami without Jimmy Butler, Cleveland for the second half without Donovan Mitchell and the Pacers for the last two games without Tyrese Haliburton would have won those three series and have a record around 12-2. Yeah, I do. So, no, I wasn’t impressed.”

Wright effectively made his stance on the Celtics clear well before Tuesday’s TV segment. Mere moments after Boston completed a sweep of Indiana on Monday, the popular talking head predicted the Dallas Mavericks to beat the Celtics in the Finals in only five games.

Knowing how NBA discourse works, there might never come a time this postseason when the Celtics are given all of the flowers they deserve. If Boston hoists the Larry O’Brien Trophy in a few weeks, fans and pundits alike might strip some credit citing Luka Doncic’s lingering knee injury, the mileage on the Minnesota Timberwolves or some other excuse.

But as Wright noted, it won’t matter much if the C’s are the last team standing.