The Philadelphia 76ers have an ongoing, fierce rivalry with the Boston Celtics, especially after the latter sent them packing once again in the last postseason in a grueling seven-game series. The Sixers’ ceaseless humps recently may flick them away from equal footing with the C’s next season, but the tension between both teams should remain strong.
That holds more truth in light of newly acquired guard Patrick Beverley’s latest remarks on the Celtics, which will again be one of the favorites to represent the conference in the Finals next year after slightly missing out on a second consecutive berth on the biggest stage.
New 76ers guard Patrick Beverley dishes stone cold take on the Celtics
Beverley is all too familiar with playing the role of villain, but he’s definitely not waiting on kicking the tires to the season to dish out a stone cold take.
When asked in an exchange with a fan if the current iteration of the Boston Celtics can win an NBA championship, Beverley quickly shot the idea down, saying that their superstars do not complement each other enough to lead the franchise to what could be its 18th title.
"Celtics fan: “Can [Jayson] Tatum and [Jaylen] Brown get it done together?”Patrick Beverley: “No.”Celtics fan: “Why not?”Patrick Beverley: “Too much of the same player, they don’t compliment each other enough.”"
Fans and pundits alike have echoed the same in varying degrees in recent years. Despite the obvious talent both All-Stars possess, they have been far from the most consistent performers in the playoffs despite Boston having made the conference finals in five of the last seven postseasons.
Tatum and Brown, for all their similarities, are undoubtedly still different cogs. But to be fair, Beverley may be pointing at the fact that both are high-volume scorers who need the ball in their hands to truly succeed. While both have made strides in becoming more all-around players, no one will mistake them for an elite playmaker or defender — factors that many seem to demand to truly brand someone as championship-caliber.
That being said, the Celtics will be a force for a long time as long as Tatum and Brown remain on the roster. Unfortunately for the Philadelphia 76ers, that means they will have to get past them to finally get the job done and avoid being on the loser’s side in this rivalry for once.