“Brooklyn with Durant, Bucks with Antetokounmpo, Miami with Butler”: Ime Udoka takes pride in Celtics playing as a unit

Celtics head coach Ime Udoka applauds his crew for playing as a cohesive unit in their NBA Finals debut despite not having the star power like that on the Nets, Bucks, and Heat.

The Boston Celtics shocked everyone in Game One of the NBA Finals, stealing a W on the road despite having a rusty start. Devoid of any Finals experience, the young roster of the Celtics defeated the Warriors, who were making their 6th Finals appearance in the last 8-years.

Jaylen Brown and Al Horford would blowout the Dubs in the final quarter, going on a 40-16 run. The Celtics sank 21-shots from beyond the arc during the game. It was an overall effort from the Cs despite their superstar player, Jayson Tatum, having a poor outing.

Known for their fast-pacing offense, the Warriors froze in the fourth quarter. It seemed like the Cs had stolen Golden State’s 3-point prowess towards the end of the game. In his first season as head coach, Ime Udoka exhibited the characteristics of a veteran in his coaching.

Also read: “Celtics 24-point swing in Warriors loss is largest in NBA Finals history”: How Al Horford and Jaylen Brown led Steph Curry and company down a historic collapse in Game 1

Post their Game One win, Udoka reflected on the Celtics’ journey in the playoffs, beating teams with top-tier superstars on it.

Ime Udoka takes an indirect dig at the star-studded teams of the NBA.

It won’t be wrong to say that the Celtics had more roadblocks than the Warriors on their way to the Finals. The Cs faced the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in their first round, which was followed by defeating the reigning Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, to finally getting past Jimmy Butler and the Heat in the ECF.

On the other hand, many believe the Warriors had the hand of the basketball gods over them. The Dubs faced teams plagued with injuries to their crucial players, making it easier for them, when compared to the Cs. Nonetheless, the Warriors had their championship DNA on display.

During the post-game media interaction, Coach Udoka gave his crew the applause they rightly deserved for playing as a cohesive unit. The Celtics head coach didn’t hesitate to take pride in defeating the top-tier teams of the NBA in the playoffs.

Ime Udoka: “We look at ourselves as a unit. A complete team. We look at the other teams, Brooklyn with Durant, Bucks with Antetokounmpo, Miami with Butler. We pride ourselves on being a team that plays together.”

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 3, 2022

Also read: “Ime Udoka goes from playing against Stephen Curry to coaching against him in the NBA Finals”: Warriors MVP and Celtics coach’s rivalry goes more than 10-years back

After having their home-court advantage stolen, it will be interesting to see how the Warriors respond moving forward in the Finals.