ESPN’s Rose likes the Celtics to make the NBA Finals from the East

ESPN NBA analyst Jalen Rose thinks the Boston Celtics are the team to beat in the East coming out of the hiatus.

ESPN’s Jalen Rose likes the Boston Celtics to come out of the East in the NBA’s new format to resume the season.

Speaking about who he believes will excel in the novel format being planned for 22 of the NBA’s 30 teams headed to Lake Buena Vista, Florida to complete the 2019-20 season, the NBA analyst was especially supportive of the Celtics’ prospects.

The new format will see teams play without audiences in the Disney-provided single-site location as a means of mitigating the risk of professional sports during a pandemic.

That single location format will eliminate home court advantage and shorten the rest of each team’s regular season to the next eight contests on their original schedule with teams invited to the Florida-based complex.

Because of these factors, the Michigan product believes the Celtics have the advantage.

“In a neutral situation, the way the season is about to be shotgun-started again, I’m taking the Celtics in the East,” he explained.

“I’m taking the Celtics in the East, because one of the great things about the Bucks — of course, their game does travel — but their home court was a huge advantage for them, a major advantage. If we’re playing pickup ball, and the Celtics and Bucks players are in the gym, I’m going to pick Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the next four or five picks are going to be Celtics.”

“That’s my choice to come out of the East,” he added.

What specifically is it about Boston, though, does Rose like? More than anything else, their style of play, it seems.

“Small ball, spread it out and take advantage of the big guys that can’t score against little guys. That’s really what it’s going to be. It’s gonna be like AAU out there,” the ESPN analyst offered.

“Boston’s winning the East. The more I think about this — god, strike me down — I hadn’t said this out of my mouth or even thought about it one time until we had this conversation, until right now. Boston’s winning the East, and don’t sleep on Houston in the West, but they’re not better than the Lakers or the Clippers.”

There are still skeptics as to whether both teams’ frontcourts will be able to excel in the sort of slower halfcourt playoff-style game that tends to dominate the NBA postseason.

But, it will be interesting to see whether Boston’s center-by-committee approach and the Rockets’ “pocket” approach bear fruit as both teams hope the recent tumult can come with some silver linings for their respective playoff aspirations.

And with the league having committed to a July 31st target restart date, we won’t have too long to wait to find out.

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