The NBA Finals are about to kick-start at the TD Garden tonight. Ahead of the highly anticipated Game 1 between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics, everyone is trying to fine-tune their predictions for the series. It’s no surprise that Paul Pierce is backing the Celtics to win the trophy this year. On a recent episode of UNDISPUTED, the Celtics legend provided the reasoning behind his prediction while stating that this year’s Finals will start a new era in basketball.
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The Truth said that the Celtics have five of the best seven players participating in the NBA Finals. On top of that, the Celtics are undefeated in Game 1’s, so, these factors will give his team the obvious advantage over the Mavericks to win Game 1. More importantly, Pierce thinks that we’re witnessing the beginning of a new era in the league. He said, “This is about to be the start of the post-LeBron, Curry & KD era.”
The Celtics legend said that there are enough young stars in the league, who are at the top of their game, to take charge of the league from the veterans who have served it for decades now. As for his prediction for the Finals, Pierce is very confident of the skills that the Celtics possess. Even though he acknowledges the Mavs as a credible opponent, he believes that the Celtics will have an easy win over them. Pierce said, “The more and more I’m thinking about it, Skip, I’m starting to lean to five.”
“This is about to be the start of the post-LeBron, Curry & KD era.”
@PaulPierce34 on the Mavs x Celtics NBA Finals matchup pic.twitter.com/Ndqgg4XXnZ— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) June 6, 2024
Predicting a five-game series win against a team like the Mavericks is a bold move, but Pierce thinks he has reasons to believe so. He also discarded the popular narrative against the Celtics that they have had an easy run to the Finals this year. In fairness, the Celtics are the only team this season with 60+ regular season wins. To say that they’re in the Finals out of sheer luck is a bit of a stretch. However, even if we consider the criticism, the true colors will be put on display from both sides as the only thing that’ll get them to the trophy, is their game.
This is truly the end of an era
This is the first time in the last 20 years that LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry didn’t make it past the first round of the playoffs. It truly speaks to the dominance of the trio in the league for two decades. However, like every good thing, this also had to come to an end. Because these superstars are all inching towards the end of their careers, it’s great for the game that the next generation is ready and willing to take the game forward from here.
The 2023-24 season has been special for so many players for various reasons. For the Mavericks, this will be an opportunity to win the second NBA title in the franchise history, while their superstar Luka Doncic will attempt to lift his first. Boston on the other hand has had a lot of glory, but it’s becoming a thing of the past now. Currently, they are tied with the Lakers with 17 trophies, winning this will put them ahead of the archrivals and their star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will get to lift their first-ever trophy.
