Kevin Garnett recently shared his thoughts on the possible playoff scenarios in the Eastern Conference. He confidently backed his former franchise, the Celtics, to retain their title next season. However, the NBA legend also highlighted a few other teams that he believes could pose a serious challenge to the defending champions.
On Ticket and the truth Along with Paul Pierce, Garnett singled out the rejuvenated New York Knicks as the biggest threat to the Celtics. He also pointed out how a revamped 76ers team could challenge his former team. Beyond those two, KG saw potential in a few other teams to upset the 2024 champions.
“It goes to Cs [Boston Celtics]it goes to [New York] Knicks, and then I say Philly [Philadelphia 76ers] and then you had Orlando [Magic]Cleveland [Cavaliers]and Miami [Heat] right there.
This bold statement surprised Pierce. While “The Truth” didn’t directly contradict his co-panelist’s claims, he didn’t seem to entirely agree. This prompted Garnet to support his thoughts by deepening his analysis of the 76ers. He believed the franchise had the talent to compete with the Celtics.
For context, their roster already had an MVP caliber player. Joel Embiid alongside a young Tyrese Maxey, who last season was the 15th best scorer in the NBA with 1,816. The arrival of a catch-and-shoot scorer, Paul George, author of 38.5% three-point shooting in his career, brought much-needed dynamism.
The complementary skills of these three big names have given the franchise an edge, as KG added,
“I think Philly’s effort and those three guys they had there [can match up with the Celtics]. Because Maxey can get you 50. [Joel] “Embiid, he’s MVP and then there’s Paul George who’s Premier. That’s going to get you something.”
Garnett then turned his attention to the Celtics’ biggest threat, the Knicks. The franchise has found its groove under Jalen Brunson. The 27-year-old led them to the playoffs two years in a row in the absence of their iconic figure, Julius Randle.
Last season, Brunson’s former Villanova Wildcat teammates Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo also stepped up to lead the charge when needed. This summer, they added another Villanova alum, Mikal Bridges, to the mix. KG explained how that impressive roster depth could cause headaches for the defending champions, saying:
“The Knicks have depth, man… I think the Knicks have the depth to be able to challenge the Cs.”
It paints a fitting picture of the competition in the East. Fans are eager to see who will emerge victorious, setting the stage for the start of an exciting season in less than two months.
