Shaquille O’Neal calls Heat ‘one-man team’, claims no way Celtics should lose series

Shaquille O'Neal believes the Celtics can win the ECF against the Miami Heat.

Shaquille O’Neal calls Heat ‘one-man team’, claims no way Celtics should lose series

Shaquille O'Neal, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum

Shaquille O’Neal has made his way back to the NBA headlines. And, this time he isn’t trolling any star from the league. Instead, he’s rooting for the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown-led Boston Celtics to get the job done against the Jimmy Butler-led Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Boston Celtics are currently maintaining a 0-2 deficit and no team in the history of the league has been able to make a comeback from there when on the road. But Shaquille O’Neal is a believer.

Shaquille O’Neal in his recent interview with Heavy, revealed how the Boston Celtics can play better against the Jimmy Butler-led Miami Heat. He believes it’s necessary to poke the Cs, as that will get them going. As describing the Boston Celtics, Shaquille O’Neal quoted: “They’re a very well-disciplined team. It’s just sometimes they have these… Like some teams, you have to poke ’em to get them there, and when they’re poked they play well. But they need to learn how to play with that edge.”

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Further, Shaquille O’Neal went on to disrespect the Miami Heat. As he claimed them to be a one-man team, and obviously that one-man is Jimmy Butler, who’s getting the job done and carrying the team ahead. While doing so Shaq added: “Like, it’s the Eastern Conference finals, we’re against a team that only has one guy and nine others, four or five undrafted players … You can’t let a team like that (beat you).”

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Shaquille O’Neal isn’t wrong with his take. As the Miami Heat really depends upon Jimmy Butler and he single-handedly is responsible for their deep postseason run so far. And, on the other hand, the Boston Celtics have 2 MVP caliber players, a DPOY, and a solid deep roster of great talents. So still ending up on the losing end is very disappointing and embarrassing and it’s time for the Cs to get going as even Big Diesel wants them to win the series.

Related: UNBELIEVABLE Kevin Love stats suggest Heat will beat Celtics and advance to NBA Finals

Shaquille O’Neal wants Jayson Tatum to step up against Miami Heat in ECF

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum (Credits: Adam Glanzman | Getty Images)
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum (Credits: Adam Glanzman | Getty Images)

Jayson Tatum who claims himself to be humbly one of the best basketball players out there isn’t living up to the expectations in the ECF. As he completely disappears in the second half, especially in the last quarter. He probably isn’t the fourth-quarter guy. As his career stats for the playoffs in the fourth quarter are: 5.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

But now it’s time for him to step up and be the guy or else the series for the Cs is done. And, even Shaquille O’Neal wants him to show off his talents. In the same interview, Shaquille O’Neal demanding Jayson Tatum to step up quoted: “That’s because the stars have to step up. Like, talent is good, but you can only say it’s talent on paper. On the court, guys got to step up.”

Further, Shaquille O’Neal added: “Jayson Tatum — you want to be good, want to be great, or do you want to be one of the greatest Celtics ever? With him, being All-NBA, he’s going to have to step up. Game 7 (against Philadelphia)? That’s what you call stepping up. So he’s going to have to be there or a little bit under that.” Game 3 is just hours away and it’s on the road for the Celtics. So we may get to watch another interesting playoff showdown, as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will try to cut down the series lead.

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