Boston Celtics has not been ‘fire-tested’, claims Skip Bayless as ECF winners get ‘cakewalk’ victories

Bayless pointed to the Celtics' close games against inferior opponents as a cause for concern.

Boston Celtics has not been ‘fire-tested’, claims Skip Bayless as ECF winners get ‘cakewalk’ victories

Jaylen Brown and Skip Bayless

Skip Bayless has sparked controversy as he claimed that the Boston Celtics have not been “fire-tested” in their journey to the Eastern Conference Finals. He believes that the team has had a relatively easy path through the East, where they’ve faced opponents that were often without their best players.

Skip Bayless pointed to the Celtics’ close games against inferior opponents as a cause for concern. He thinks that a truly elite team would have won more convincingly and that the Celtics’ struggles against weaker teams are a sign of vulnerability. He specifically highlighted the series against Indiana, where the Celtics struggled to put away the Pacers even after Tyrese Halliburton’s injury.

I’m here to tell you, your team has not been fire tested yet. Your team has cake walked through the East. It has played down to the level of competition that was almost always without its best player at every step of the way. It should be concerning to you if not downright flat out scary to you that these games kept going down to the wire because they shouldn’t have especially if you take Tyrese Halliburton away at Indiana.
Skip Bayless said on Fox’s Undisputed

Despite Bayless’ criticism, the C’s have shown remarkable resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity to reach the NBA Finals, and their depth and teamwork have been key factors in their success. However, Bayless’ comments have raised questions about the team’s ability to perform under pressure.

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The Celtics have a chance to prove themselves against either the Dallas Mavericks or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the upcoming NBA Finals. If they can overcome the challenges ahead and emerge victorious, they will undoubtedly silence their critics and cement their status as a truly elite team. 

The Boston Celtics rally to book their ticket to the NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics completed a 4-0 sweep of the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals, and secured a spot in the NBA Finals. For the third time in four games, the Celtics erased a late fourth-quarter lead by the Pacers, rallying from an 89-82 deficit to win 105-102.

The Celtics trailed for most of the fourth quarter before tying the game at 102-102 on a Jaylen Brown floater. Derrick White then hit a 3-pointer with 43.9 seconds remaining, which gave the Celtics their first lead of the quarter and the win. The Pacers played without All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton, who sat out Games 3 and 4 with a hamstring strain.

The Celtics will face the winner of the Western Conference finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Finals and the Mavericks hold a 3-0 series lead. The Celtics’ comeback win stunned the Indiana crowd for the second straight game, and they will look to carry their momentum into the NBA Finals.

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