The Boston Celtics are having an amazing season as they have the best team in the league for quite some time now. The team has the best record in East and West combined and is being considered to be the title winner this season. However, the team has failed to impress an NBA legend and a former member of the team.
In the Big Pod with Shaq, NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal revealed that he was not moved by the team’s position in the standings. The veteran was asked to name an overrated team in the current NBA. The star surprisingly chose the winning leaders of the league.
Overrated? Boston. You gotta show me. I've been around this league a long time. I've seen a lot of guys that have had a great regular season but they don't win championships Shaquille O’Neal via The Big Pod with Shaq
O’Neal’s co-host Adam Lefkoe asked the star to explain what the team needed to improve to reach the final aim of winning. The four-time champion stated that the Boston Celtics needs to establish dominance consistently. Shaq wants the team to improve and do better after each game.
Shaq says the Celtics are “overrated” and doesn’t see us winning a championship.
— Celtics Direct (@CelticsDirect) April 10, 2024
(via @bigpodwithshaq | https://t.co/7K0NpwAqna) pic.twitter.com/2erxIKU5Lb
O’Neal’s perspective might come from the team’s previous history of playoffs. The team lost the NBA finals in 2022 and the Eastern Conference finals the next year. The Celtics have come very close to winning the title but have missed the mark by a few steps. All of this has created a disappointing atmosphere about the team in the NBA world.
O’Neal’s statement on his podcast is not the first time the veteran has shown concern about the Celtics championship credibility. In February, the Celtics were struggling against the Los Angeles Lakers. During TNT’s broadcast of the game, Shaq reflected on the team’s poor performance.
The Lakers had a 14-point lead over the first seed in the East. The situation reminded Shaq of the words of his Lakers coach the great Phil Jackson. The star revealed that he believes that the Celtics are not ready for a championship.
I can remember Phil Jackson coming in the locker room and saying, ‘Don’t let the first place fool you, you guys are still not ready for a championship.’ That’s what I feel about Boston Shaquille O’Neal via TNT
“Without LeBron and AD, [the Celtics] are supposed to be up by 30. … This is why they’re not championship-ready yet.”@Shaq on Boston's first-half vs. Lakers pic.twitter.com/Qnbp4OjEFx
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 2, 2024
O’Neal was also bothered by the fact that the Celtics were losing to the Lakers in the absence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Lakers legend stated that the team lacks killer instinct which is essential to win a championship.
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