Antoine Walker: The 76ers will beat the Celtics in 5 games
"They’ll get this done."
Retired Celtics forward Antoine Walker predicts his former team’s postseason run will come to an end against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Walker — who was drafted by the Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft and played eight seasons in Boston — said on “First Things First” Tuesday he believes the 76ers will take down the C’s in five games.
Boston currently leads the series, 1-0, after a decisive 117-101 victory in Game 1 Monday, but Walker said — despite his love for his former team — he likes Philadelphia to win the next four games.
“I’m a Boston guy,” he told FS1 co-hosts Cris Carter, Jenna Wolfe, and Nick Wright. “I love the Celtics. That’s my old team. I look at it like it’s my second home. But Philly will win this in five. They’ll get this done. They’ll get this done in five.”
“Philly will win this in 5.” — @WalkerAntoine8 pic.twitter.com/hxHmW17Wla
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) May 1, 2018
Walker tabbed Game 1 as “a wakeup call” for the 76ers, who hadn’t played in six days after beating the Miami Heat in five games in their first-round playoff series. Walker expressed confidence that Philadelphia will reset and respond accordingly against the Celtics in Game 2 and beyond.
“They’re more talented,” he said of the 76ers. “Philly has two days to prepare and they’re going to make the proper adjustments.”
Walker said he doesn’t expect Philadelphia to have as poor of a shooting night as they did Monday — making just five of their 26 three-point shot attempts. He also said he anticipates Celtics forward Jaylen Brown will not be playing at 100 percent when he returns to the court. Brown missed Game 1 with a right hamstring strain.
Once the series moves to Philadelphia for Game 3 and 4, Walker predicted the Celtics will return winless.
“Boston can’t win in Philly,” he said. “Philly’s one of those places that’s like Boston. It’s very tough to play. The fans are going to be on you . . . They’re starting to get that crowd Golden State had a couple years ago where it’s just an intimidating place to play. I like Philly to win the next four games.”
