Even though he hasn’t won a ring in his career, NBA legend Charles Barkley knows a thing or two about winning one. And if the former power forward is to be believed, the Boston Celtics have a harder road towards a championship than what most people expected.
During the offseason, the Celtics’ front office dispatched Marcus Smart and replaced him with one-time NBA champion Jrue Holiday. They also acquired Kristaps Porzingis to create a core unit of him, Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum. The result was a league-leading record of 64 wins and 18 losses, and the number one seed in the Eastern Conference.
![NBA Icon Drops Honest Review of Boston Celtics' Title Chances 1 Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum](https://www.hardwoodheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/USATSI_23389638_168400517_lowres-1-scaled.jpg)
During the playoffs, the Celtics found themselves coasting through the first and second round. In the former, they took care of a Miami Heat team without Jimmy Butler in it within five games. They also eliminated an injured Cleveland Cavaliers team in the same number of games, giving them more time to rest up as the series between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers went to seven games.
Now, Boston has taken a commanding 3-0 lead against Haliburton’s Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. With only one win away, there’s little hope for the Celtics to lose four straight games to Indiana, making them the favorites to reach the NBA Finals from the East.
NBA Legend Charles Barkley Shares Honest Assessment of Boston Celtics’ Championship Chances
![NBA Icon Drops Honest Review of Boston Celtics' Title Chances 2 Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum](https://www.hardwoodheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/USATSI_23230388-scaled.jpg)
While some people have pegged the Celtics as favorites to win the championship this year, Barkley has a different take on the matter. In a video shared by NBA on TNT’s official X account, the former Philadelphia 76ers star doesn’t believe Boston has what it takes to make it to the promised land.
“[Last night] was the first time I said, ‘I don’t know if they can win the championship.’ … They’ve got no ball movement… they win games strictly on talent and that’s not going to work against a better team.”
Chuck on the Boston Celtics 👀 pic.twitter.com/sQMoC40zIU
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 27, 2024
As it stands, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are projected to come out of the West as the Celtics’ opponents. If Barkley is right, those weaknesses will be exposed by the duo of Doncic and All-Star guard Kyrie Irving.
![NBA Icon Drops Honest Review of Boston Celtics' Title Chances 3 Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum](https://www.hardwoodheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/USATSI_23213820-scaled.jpg)
It remains to be seen whether the Celts will prove Barkely wrong in the coming weeks. What’s certain, though, is that this is the best chance for Tatum and company to win another ring for Beantown.
![NBA Icon Drops Honest Review of Boston Celtics' Title Chances 4 Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum](https://www.hardwoodheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/USATSI_23389305-1-scaled.jpg)
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