Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks showed grit in their second round series with the Boston Celtics before wrapping it up in six games. Does that conclude they were the better team that time? Paul Pierce is not convinced.
The first two games were decided down to the last second in favor of the Knicks. Celtics got the third one by a blowout but then the Knicks made it 3-1 through a 121-113 victory. Celtics was to buy another day in Game 5 though they failed to get another one as they bowed in Game 6 in the most painful way with an 81-119 defeat.
Knicks stole the first two games of the series and for team legend Paul Pierce, it was a sign of them chocking. He went on to say that the winning team did not win the series but Boston lost it.
“Yeah, I think they blew that series,” Pierce said in an interview with Heavy Sports.
“Absolutely. They had 20-point leads in the first two games — at home — and they lost them both? Yeah, they blew that series. That had nothing to do with the Knicks’ talent and all that.”
The loss meant Celtics failed to the defend the championship. Knicks faced Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals but failed to advance to the last dance.
Paul Pierce points out main problem for Boston Celtics
Pierce thinks Knicks should have not won against the Cs since they were not talented enough. That is just one of their many problems in that series.
He thinks they chocked because they relied too much on just one area of the game that allows other teams to come back.
“Because they’ve been a team over the last few years that’s given up big leads because they settle for the 3,” Pierce added.
“You know, you live by it, you die by it. But when you win a championship, what you gonna say? What you gonna say, tell them to play something different, take it in more when this is how they won? That’s who they are.”
Celtics will enter the new season without the core of their championship team. It will be a big question if they will still be a contender next season with the injury to Jayson Tatum. They are now the less talented team.
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