Celtics
Maxwell said the Celtics have the potential to win multiple championships with their current group.
Celtics legend Cedric Maxwell is no stranger to hanging championship banners in the garden.
Maxwell helped guide Boston to two NBA championships in 1981 and 1984, and was the finals MVP in ’81. Earlier this season, when Maxwell was attending a Celtics game, Joe Mazzulla pulled him aside to talk about the championships.
His talk with Maxwell further solidified just how focused Boston is on winning it all this season. Players and coach alike are determined to raise banner 18, but Maxwell thinks their potential is even higher than that.
“He said, ‘you know I would do anything to win another banner,’ and literally he had tears in his eyes,” Maxwell said on the “First to the Floor” podcast. “I said, ‘you’re going to get there’ … it’s the pressure of this year. If the Celtics can withstand the pressure and get through, this team could win, the way they’re constituted now, they could win two or three championships with this particular team.
“… They’re young, they’re athletic, they’re hungry, they’re well coached. But it’s getting through this year, because everybody has already picked them [to win].”
The Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown era has brought the Celtics a lot of success in the last six years. But the duo hasn’t made it over the hump and been crowned champions. This year, though, is almost inarguably their best chance yet to win it all.
Boston is reaching levels of success it hasn’t seen since 2008 — the last time it captured the NBA championship. In some areas, this year’s team is outdoing what that 2008 team accomplished. Titles aren’t won in the regular season, though, which is why Tatum, Brown, Mazzulla, and the entire Celtics roster is staying focused on getting ready for the postseason.
Through 70 games played, Boston has by far the league’s best record (56-14).
Sign up for Celtics updates🏀
Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during basketball season.