It has been said that the only NBA teams that are championship contenders are those that win 40 games before they lose 20.
This season, three teams have done that: the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Speaking on his show, “The Big Podcast,” Shaquille O’Neal predicted one of those teams will win it all this year.
He said the Celtics have the best shot of being champions again, partly because they have “many weapons” on their roster that can help them cross the finish line.
Shaq has Boston going back-to-back this season… do you agree with him? 👀
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— The Big Podcast (@bigpodwithshaq) March 8, 2025
O’Neal admires the work of the Thunder and Cavaliers but thinks the Celtics have a better assortment of “others,” or players who might not get the same sort of attention as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown but still contribute a lot.
Derrick White is a prime example of the “others” that will earn Boston another title.
Earlier this week, White scored 41 points on the Portland Trail Blazers, while second-unit hot shot Payton Pritchard posted an amazing 43 points.
It’s those “others” who will keep the Celtics vigorous for all four quarters by posting big numbers on offense and shutting down opponents on defense.
The Celtics are currently tied with the Thunder as odds-on favorites to be champions and a lot can change in the next few weeks before the playoffs kick off.
But with their deep roster and postseason experience, the Celtics have plenty of weapons that should make them very scary to the rest of the league.
Can they repeat the success they found last year?
One thing is certain: the Celtics will not be easy to defeat.
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