Without a doubt, the Boston Celtics are currently the best club in the Eastern Conference. However, if NBA pundit Austin Rivers is to be believed, Jayson Tatum’s squad must overcome their deficiencies if they are to win a title this season.
As seen by their recent 119-94 victory over the Detroit Pistons, the East’s top team possesses the ability to deliver a dominant performance even without the All-Star forward as the offensive focal point. Jaylen Brown rose to the occasion, scoring 31 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and dishing out three assists. Derrick White recorded a triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Payton Pritchard contributed 23 points and seven assists.
The Detroit Pistons, on the other hand, were led by Jaden Ivey, who scored 21 points, had five rebounds, and five assists. James Wiseman had 12 points and five rebounds off the bench in the Pistons’ 56th loss this season.
The Celtics lead the Eastern Conference with 54 wins and 14 defeats, the best record in the NBA right now. This season, their offense leads the league, while their defense ranks second out of 30 teams.
Austin Rivers Drops Harsh Championship Reality on Jayson Tatum & Boston Celtics
At this point, Beantown has a good chance of reaching the NBA Finals. However, Austin Rivers believes they must face a tough truth before winning it all in the postseason.
Rivers makes a compelling case against Boston in the playoffs. If the All-Star forward does not learn how to close out games effectively, clubs such as the Miami Heat or New York Knicks could surprise everyone by eliminating the Celtics early in the playoffs.
The regular season has less than a month left before the playoffs begin. Hopefully, the team has learnt from its mistakes in the past and will make a serious run at the crown this year.
