Charles Barkley says Celtics are going to have a ‘LONG YEAR’ 👀 | Inside the NBA

Charles Barkley says Celtics are going to have a ‘LONG YEAR’ 👀 | Inside the NBA

And as you guys know, Donovan has been on an absolute tear to start this season. He’s averaging 31 points for the first four games. So, not having him on the court tonight would be a big miss. But I don’t know about you guys, he’s looking pretty good so far. We’re hopeful. We’re hopeful. Indeed, we are going to play. He said yes. He said he’s going to play. See, that’s how you That’s how you break news. That’s how you get to the source. You go right to the man and ask. There you go. Thank you. Thanks, Katie. We appreciate it. So, uh, Donovan Mitchell will play for the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight in I think I think one of the most underrated pickups of the summer is Lonzo Ball. I know he’s on a minute restriction. I think that would he play more than 23 minutes if Garland was there? I I that’s what I’m saying. Is that a minute restriction or that’s what he’s going to be playing? Yeah, like I I just think that’s going to be an underrated pickup. I I’m a big Lonzo Ball fan and I think he going to really help them. And they’re already pluck a no no Garland. They got no uh Sam Merrill who’s been starting. He’s not playing tonight. Max Strus remains out. Uh so yeah, look for some all the minutes they can get out of Lonzo Ball tonight. Yeah, Lonzo with his size, his athleticism coming back. Pace, pace, but he creates like you said the pace of the game, but he also finds people. If you run the lane, he’ll get you to basketball. And that’s a lost start to pitch ahead basketball from point guards. He leads that team in assists coming off the bench. Yeah. Um they because they play too slow. That’s one of the weakness of that team. It they they’re not great in a half court in my opinion cuz Donovan has to go one-on-one so much. But if you put him out there and get Donovan and those other guys extra seven or eight easy baskets, that’s going to help them in the long run. you know, um Chris Speedor, who’s a beat reporter covering the Cavs, had some great stuff about accountability on that team and about Kenny Atkinson getting on guys, teammates getting on guys in film sessions to say we need more of this from you and holding up to them. Uh look, this is your record 11 to 15 over the past three postseasons. What does that do for a team, Sh? And that usually happens uh on on on good teams/g great teams, but you can never lose respect for each other. Like you know, you can’t tell people to do something when you’re not out doing it yourself. So, you know, this guy right here is as good as he is, he’s never had a problem scoring. We’re just waiting for him to, you know, get get to that next level. And, you know, you bring up a good record. I mean, a good point, Ernie. Like, for example, last year they did excellent during the regular season, but record. Yeah. But then when they got to the postseason, they laid a brick. So, you know, uh the question is this year, can they get over the hump? And this guy is is is going to have to be the guy that takes them over the hump. Yeah. You know what the difference I think where what Cleveland has to do to really I think take that next jump is they have to limit their tough shots. Like if you watch even even though SGA takes a bulk of shots with Oklahoma City because they’re those midi mid-range and he’s 6’6, 6’5, whatever he is, he shoots over the defense. They’re not a lot of tough shots. And you add Williams and Henrams and Dort, they don’t take a lot of tough shots. The best teams in the league, even when when you watch Indiana, when Hallebertton was there last year, they don’t take tough shots. They take fast and in pace shots, but not a lot of tough. Then that’s what Chuck is saying about ball. He adds that maybe you don’t have to take as many tough shots that will propel them over the the hump to get to that Eastern Conference maybe finals round. Boston, meantime, Jaylen Brown and you know preaching patience um to that Boston fan base uh which can be uh impatient, can be wanting success right now. Uh and they’re not used to one and three starts. They better get used to it when you when you’re uh Jason Tatum’s not in there. And then when you when you have uh Drew Holiday in Portland, and you have Porzingis uh in Atlanta, now Horford now in Golden State, how patient can they be, Chuck, the patient? They they closer to being a patient in the hospital. They going to be a long year. Look, Ernie, you can leave that stat up there. You got three guys who are available out of your probably your top eight, seven, eight players. You only got three of them available and you think you going to have success? That’s impossible. I mean, they did pick up Anthony Simons who had 25 the other night in that game. He’s not better than Drew Holiday or Pzingis or whatever. You gave away more than you bought back. Um, there’s no way Tatum who I love. Pzingas was the reason they won the championship. Drew Holidayiday’s one of the best leaders we got in the NBA. There’s no way this team is going to be any good. I agree, Chuck. When you give up three guys that have been vital to your success, it’s like damn near starting over. So, uh, patience is the right word, but they might be done. Yeah. And as good as Drew and Porzingis are, uh, or have been, to me, that’s the guy. Jason Tatum, he and he and Jaylen Brown have been winning his duo in the last eight years in the NBA. They have won more basketball games than any body that’s played basketball in the last eight years. you take him out of the lineup, it’s like taking an SGA off of an MVP candidate off of the off the But yeah, but that’s an unfair stop because those guys saved their ass a lot. Like horses. No, I didn’t say those guys didn’t help them. Okay. But those two guys were winning a lot of those guys were winning. Well, they didn’t win. They didn’t win those guys got to the Eastern Conference Finals. They didn’t win it. They didn’t win it. Pzingas and Drew Holiday made them. We’re talking one and three. We’re talking about Eastern Conference finals. How many times they didn’t win there in the last year? They they didn’t win it when they got pzing and Drew Holiday that changed the entire dynamic of the team. But Ernie, it’s really you always hear guys said next man up. That that sounds great in theory up, but you need five to be out there. But you cannot replace Drew Holidayiday’s leadership. You cannot. And also Pzinga’s size. He was So you you think those two guys are more important than J? You still haven’t seen Tatum? No. No. They were going to be good with Tatum and Brown. What put them Yeah. Yeah. They were good. What Pzingas and and and Drew did, they made them champions. They cuz Horford and Al Horford too because those two guys have been to the Eastern Conference Final. They didn’t win it. So that’s saying that you’re a great player cuz you didn’t win. That doesn’t make sense. No, I know. No, we’re talking about individual. They their guys are great players and I’m just saying Pzinga’s his size, his defensive presence, his spacing on the floor, they can’t head to break. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]

Ahead of Boston’s matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Inside Guys discuss the Celtics’ injuries and how it’ll impact them this season.

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