With the NBA Playoffs just two weeks away, the Boston Celtics are peaking at the perfect time.
They’ve won seven of their last eight games entering Monday night’s showdown with the Atlanta Hawks, becoming nearly unbeatable since Jayson Tatum returned. They just clinched a postseason berth with their 50th win and appear headed for another deep playoff run.
They’re also out for revenge after getting upset by the New York Knicks in the second round last year.
On Monday’s episode of “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith explained why the Knicks and the rest of the Eastern Conference should fear the Celtics in the postseason.
“They will be waiting for the Knicks, and they will be ready. … This is not the same team that they were last year. Everybody better watch out.”
—@stephenasmith on the Celtics ahead of the NBA playoffs 🏀 pic.twitter.com/9yEMzq7GJ7
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 30, 2026
“Jayson Tatum… This brother is elevating,” Smith said. “If that happens, that is a problem for the entire Eastern Conference. It doesn’t matter who they play. Boston can beat anybody… Boston is a bit different. This is not the same team that they were last year. Everybody better watch out.”
Smith is correct. The Celtics are a bit younger, faster and more athletic than they were last season after moving on from aging veterans like Jrue Holiday, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis. They’re hungrier and scrappier with something to prove.
Tatum has also looked more like himself lately, scoring 58 points over his last two games combined and winning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors. Pairing Tatum with the best version of Brown will be a nightmare for Boston’s playoff opponents.
The Celtics are coming on strong down the stretch, so the rest of the East better heed Smith’s warning.
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