Morning sports update: Paul Pierce trusts the process — of elimination — for the 76ers in Game 5
Giancarlo Stanton had two home runs for the Yankees in their 3-2 win over the Red Sox in New York. The Celtics have their second chance at eliminating the 76ers in Wednesday night’s Game 5 at 8 p.m.
Paul Pierce trusts the process — of elimination — for the 76ers in Game 5
The Philadelphia 76ers put their faith in ‘The Process,’ the franchise’s plan for short-term tanking and long-term success. Paul Pierce trusts a different equation, one that adherents of Philly’s ‘Process’ won’t enjoy.
“Do I trust the process in Game 5? Yes, I trust the process,” Pierce said. “I trust the process of elimination.”
The former Celtics star joined Rachel Nichols and Scottie Pippen on ESPN’s “The Jump” Tuesday. Pierce believes Game 5 will be the last matchup between his old team and the 76ers until they renew their rivalry next season.
“Overall, [the Celtics] have more talent than the 76ers,” he said. “I mean, they have the best two at the top, the 76ers. But overall, Tatum, Rozier, Al Horford — solid as a rock — Smart. They have so many pieces — Jaylen Brown — they can throw at you. They’re deep and they’re not even healthy. They don’t have their two All-Stars. That’s what’s scary about them. That’s why they’re hard to stop.”
If the Celtics advance to face the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals, Pierce knows Cleveland will also have the greater top-end talent. But he said a berth in the NBA Finals is “not out of the realm of possibility” for the Celtics.
“You look at the series’ talent top to bottom,” he said. “LeBron is going to be the best player in the series. The Celtics might have the second, third, and fourth best players in that series. I’ll take [Al] Horford over Kevin Love. The way Tatum’s been playing, Rozier — nobody on Cleveland is playing as well as those guys.”
The Celtics have another reason to believe they can overcome Tyronn Lue’s club. According to Pierce, Boston has the best coach in basketball.
“Look what he’s doing with the Boston Celtics,” Pierce said of Brad Stevens. “If the Celtics end up in the Finals, come on.”
Scottie Pippen has a bold prediction for the Celtics’ playoffs: The six-time NBA champion says he thinks the Celtics could beat the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Pippen also believes Boston’s rookie star Jayson Tatum will be a “great matchup” with LeBron James.
“I like the fact that Boston is playing with so much confidence.” he said. (Boston.com)
David Price’s pitching hand is still bothering him: The Red Sox left-hander was scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday night against the Yankees and sent back to Boston for medical tests. Price felt tingling in his hand Sunday during a bullpen session, the same symptoms that forced him out of an April 11 game against the Yankees at Fenway Park. (Boston.com)
What Boston sports radio had to say about Brad Marchand’s licking and Tuukka Rask’s performance: After the Tampa Bay Lightning sent the Bruins packing, the Boston airwaves were filled with questions about Brad Marchand’s unique instigating strategy and Tuukka Rask’s puck-stopping in the playoffs.
One host asked, “You think that’s what the Bruins want to be known for? A rat licking somebody?” (Boston.com)
Daily highlight:
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/994048593936945152
