An exciting NBA Finals showdown between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics is anticipated. Numerous NBA analysts have already forecasted the series. During the “Inside the NBA” season finale, Charles Barkley shared his initial thoughts on the series.
Barkley is inclined to believe that the Celtics will win another franchise championship. Boston will win the tournament, as Barkley has predicted throughout the season.
The well-known NBA pundit is unconcerned about a specific outstanding player for the Celtics. Because of the Celtics’ depth and defense, he still picks Boston, even without some of their stars.
Barkley said at 1:53 timestamp: “I still haven’t seen anything that makes me think the Celtics will not win the championship. I still like the Celtics even without Porzingis. They have four guys that can guard Luka and Kyrie. And Luka and Kyrie can’t guard those guys on the other end. I think it will be a hell of a series but I like the Celtics.”
The Celtics will be the clear favorites in the finals. During the regular season, Boston earned the second-best defensive rating. Their playoff defense has been ranked third overall. According to NBA.com, they must put another outstanding effort to slow down Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, who combined for 72 points in Game 5.
Shaquille O’Neal Puts His Trust on Dallas Mavericks Over the Boston Celtics
Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley’s partner, is heading in the opposite direction. In the NBA Finals, the big man is supporting the Mavs. He has a worse opinion of the Celtics’ defense. The way Doncic performed in the conference finals amazed the NBA veteran. He believes his physicality might play a significant role in the series as he enjoys it.
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O’Neal said: “Luka is bigger than I thought he was, stronger than I thought. Once he gets you on his side, he’s sort of like a big man. He plays with poise. And he can’t be shook.”
Barkley thinks there are enough players on the Boston Celtics to slow down Doncic. O’Neal, though, is not as persuaded. In his opinion, Doncic will still be in control while facing possible defensive mismatches with Boston.
In the season’s second meeting with the Boston Celtics, Doncic scored 37 points. With 33 points, he was also successful in the opening game versus Boston. Both games were won by the Boston Celtics by double digits.
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