The Celtics quieted a lot of critics who were still doubting them or who thought they should’ve tried to avoid facing Brooklyn in the first round, as they completed an impressive four-game sweep of the Nets on Monday with a 116-112 win.
ESPN NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy wasn’t one of those skeptics, but he still didn’t see a sweep coming. Joining The Greg Hill Show on Tuesday morning, Van Gundy explained why he’s been high on the Celtics for a while now and views them as a true championship contender.
“I didn’t see a sweep, but they’re clearly a better team. They have been for the last three months,” Van Gundy said. “So it didn’t surprise me that they were dominant, but sweeping Kevin Durant is obviously an incredible accomplishment.
“And the way they did it, they played better on offense than they did on defense at times, which is a great balance for them. They have the great defense, and to combine that with really good offense makes them what they are, which is truly a championship contender.”
Van Gundy thinks that one reason the Celtics are now playing like a dominant team -- a true team -- is the growth of Jayson Tatum. Van Gundy sees a star who has evolved from a great scorer to a great all-around player.
“Jayson Tatum is an unbelievably great player, and he’s improved from being a dominant scorer to being the best player on what could be the best team,” Van Gundy said. “Because he is now passing the ball consistently, making the right plays, which engenders unselfishness for the whole team. And then defensively, he’s been awesome. His commitment to the defensive end of the floor and his actual defensive skill and anticipation is off the charts.”
The Celtics now await the winner of Bucks vs. Bulls. Milwaukee currently leads that series, 3-1, with Game 5 set for Wednesday night.
Listen to the full interview with Van Gundy here: