(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics have won their first game against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals but they have a long road to go before they can compete for a championship.
Their showing in Tuesday’s game revealed a few glaring issues with the team and they are still without one of their best players, Kristaps Porzingis.
Speaking of Porzingis, Stephen A. Smith claimed that the team cannot win a championship without him.
“We’re not giving the Boston Celtics a chance to win this championship without Porzingis. You need him to win it,” Smith said on Wednesday’s “First Take.”
“We’re not giving the Boston Celtics a chance to win this championship without [Kristaps] Porzingis. You need him to win it.”
@stephenasmith pic.twitter.com/Vqsirq2Tl7
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 22, 2024
Porzingis has been out with a strain in his right calf but has been making progress recently.
Most reports claim that he could be back as soon as Game 4 on Monday.
He was sent to the sidelines with this injury during his team’s opening-round series against the Miami Heat and missed all of their second-round matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Celtics want him back and are eager to use his size and length to their advantage, but they are also not going to rush him and risk further injuries.
That is especially true because they might face the big Minnesota Timberwolves in the Finals if they make it that far.
Porzingis is powerful on both ends of the court and has become a centerpiece for the team.
In 2023-24, he averaged 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2 assists per game on 51.6% from the field.
It sounds like the Celtics only have to survive a few more games without Porzingis, but he won’t solve all their problems.
Even with him on the court, the team has a tendency to be inconsistent, especially on offense.
That could ultimately be what prevents them from winning the championship this year, with or without Porzingis.
The post Stephen A. Smith Believes Celtics Will Not Win Championship Without 1 Player appeared first on The Cold Wire.