Celtics ‘proved they had heart’ against Knicks, Chiefs season to start slow? | FIRST THINGS FIRST

Celtics ‘proved they had heart’ against Knicks, Chiefs season to start slow? | FIRST THINGS FIRST

Well, that’s how you If Nick wasn’t here, you had to be Nick. Is it just that easy? No, but but if Wilds forces his way out of the show to get someone else, we’re talking about Jimmy Butler, by the way. I’m saying he is what he is. He’s a number two at this point. Score 40 points. I wasn’t shot by yesterday. Yeah, this one. Remember, he’s shooting that. It would have been better for him to go ahead and miss like 10 more shots. It wouldn’t have been worse. I know it wouldn’t have been worse. It might have. Maybe Kaminga wouldn’t have got going if Exact. I mean, I’m just saying he’s a number two. When Steph’s there, he’ll be fine. What did Boston prove? They proved they have the heart of a champion. God. Yeah. Gosh darn it. Gosh darn it. I mean, right before the sec, right? While while it’s doing the intro, Brew and I usually do like a who wants to go first and I was and sometimes we don’t even know and so it’s just like Brew go. I wrote they have heart and character of a champion already used it. Go ahead. You know what that means? He didn’t have a tape and he he was play I could have said anything. He would have been like there is Brew I was going there right there. Go ahead. No, but that’s been in question. I I was saying that it was in question. Is it look they’re losing to a team that everyone feels they’re better than and and I get it. Tatum’s out now. You can debate, oh they’re not better now. They were down 3-1 with Tatum even though he you know they would have lost that game. I firmly believe even if he hadn’t gotten hurt. All right. So that puts you in question. You brought up lick Nick last week their championship last year. I mean, a championship is a championship. You get your props for it, but everybody was hurt. Butler was hurt. Cleveland was banged up when they beat went out. Yeah. And then they get Indiana, young Indiana Pacers team in the conference finals. So, all of that was in question and they’re still going to catch some heat if they lose this series. But last night, they showed, look, we are just not going out like this on our home floor. you lose three games on your home court in a playoff series against a team that you’re supposed to be better with than that you were 4-0 against in the regular season with blowouts like so they erased that and Nick what they did and you kind of alluded to this yesterday the ball was moving oh I got to grab the ball was moving 27 assist which was their is their highest in these whole playoffs in the three losses they averaged 16 assists and Jason Tatum is Great. A lot of times great players, you know, they’re going to get it and they’re going to go ISO. He can do that and guys are watching. I look this certainly the strategy without Tatum has to continue to be get the ball moving and if we’re hot from three, we got a shot. You want to go wild? Uh, no. I I had the same point. I I really did have the same gravity. I don’t know if it could ceue it up, but there was less iso ball um at the same time. So we averaged 26. We I don’t play for the Celtics. The Celtics averaged 26. They’d be in trouble out here like Payton Richard. Uh first round of the Magic. Magic’s good defense. 20 assists. First four games, 18 last night, 27. Now there was a huge kind of cornet outlier game. Even though I did say that he could play and you guys said you specifically said this was Wilds and I oddly had a cornetbased argument, but sadly for Wild if he was on if he was on the Lakers, he’d be like a Max player. Like Luca Lebron would turn into a Max player. Sadly for Wilds, that argument was in his office at noon yesterday and not on the air. So he didn’t get vindicated from it. But you’re right. you’re then I have the here’s the other thing who can prove and maybe if you want to go back to the Celtics but time to be a little bit worried see okay so this is where I’m not but go ahead here’s the graphic this this has to be filed into not necessarily something I but not nothing closeout games this century which game six will be on Friday so I I can I meet you in the middle on this basically that’s three right that are relevant I that’s exactly what I was going to say. I think that the the 01 Knicks and the 2013 Knicks have no relevance whatsoever to this. I do think those first three matter. I think that this core group has lost three home closeout games in the last 12 months. That I that that’ll carry. Counter argument. I think it’s the building. Oh, that they’re gonna be nervous or whatever. Like that the I think the look I that the building’s energy cuts both ways. Oh, sure. And that’s what I’m saying. That’s why I think it’s I know the teams are different, the players are different, the opponents are different. I think the Celtics are on their one, but the building’s energy. Yeah, but the building didn’t that I I get that to a degree. So, here’s So, I agree. I agree with Brew. To me, what Boston proved was the heart and character and that they’re not going to roll over. Yeah. What the Knicks the Knicks side of it is, listen, OG went one for 12. I thought Bridges was poised. I thought Bridges and OG were poised to have really big offensive games because their workload defensively was going to be so much less without, you know, one of them having to guard Tal game. It didn’t go that way. You already mentioned the Cornet piece of it. So, I think people are in this moment, including Vegas, which has the Knicks as only two and a half point favorites for game six, wildly over estimating or overviewing how good the Boston Celtics in their current form are. They were great last night and I give them a ton of credit. But as far as projecting forward, if we were to go into a playoff series or a season and the makeup of the team is their best player is Jaylen Brown, their second best player is Derek White. And then we are to Drew and Al who in these playoffs have shown you they are every other game guys. You know what I mean? That they still last night they were both good. the game before they were both awful. Like at their age and playing every other night, it has worn on them. It’s not just that they don’t have Tatum. They don’t have Tatum and they might as well also not have Porzingis. So, it is to me with these teams in their current form, it is not that the Knicks have to play perfect. It is not that the Celtics have to go ice cold from three. The Knicks are, in my opinion, far and away the better of the two teams as we get here for tomorrow night. Yes. You know what I mean, man? And so Celtics are without two of their three best players right now. Exactly. Right. If you include that Porzingis is essentially out and I really think the Horford and Drew thing, what we now have for three weeks of a playoff scene that they really are neither one of them have had like an A+ game yet and it’s just they they they valley they volley between that was a really rough game and oh that was a pretty nice game. And so for all those factors I I do think it’s good they got Hower back. That’s the other thing I said in your office yesterday is the Hower injury was like ended up being more important. But I just I think you take all of that and then you also take this game was tied at half and then that was a really weird third quarter. Yes. I’m not I I I not blaming the refs, but it’s lively whistle. 18 free throws for Boston and five fouls on Jaylen Brunson in nine minutes in the third quarter put a different spin on the game, if you will. So, I just think the Knicks are still in better position than Vegas does. I I you know, I don’t think that they’re only a minus 270 favorite to win the series, and I think they should be bigger than two and a half point favorites. Bruis, do you put any stock into that graphic, that closeout graphic that the Knicks are aware of? If it’s tied going into the fourth, are would you be super confident it’s like Brunson take over or do you think the nerves of like, uhoh, are we headed back to Boston? I don’t think the nerves will be an issue. Like this is a clutch team. Brunson obviously is a great clutch player and I get what you’re saying. New York there’s always pressure and if you’re struggling, you know, that crowd can get to you. But I I think it’s far more positive than negative as long as they’re not getting blown away. I think the crowd will be a positive force for them. Now I I I said yesterday I think Boston wins game five, Knicks close them out in six. And I’m sticking by that. But I do feel Nick like I mean this is interesting now because if Boston and Derek White’s been tremendous the last two games. Is he going to keep that up? Correct. He’s actually been good the whole series really. But the last two he’s been spectacular. But the Knicks better win this game and they could win a seven there. You know, we saw Boston thing seven would they’d have a chance, but you certainly the Celtics you would think would have the advantage at that point, but they we saw him lose to Miami in game seven after coming down back from 3 0. So this was a nice reprieve for Boston. I just don’t think Yeah, I think that’s probably okay. But maybe not. No, I mean I feel better about them today than I did yesterday. I’ll tell you that. Time now for afternoon headlines. Sponsored by Ram Trucks. They are built to serve. Chiefs are going to open the season in Brazil and then come home to play the Eagles week two. That one’s on Fox. Uh then it’s the Giants, the Ravens, then the Prince and the Lions. Uh overall, KC leads the league with seven prime time games. Here’s what Chris Sims wrote. It’s crazy how intense the Chief schedule is. Seven night games, Thanksgiving, Christmas. The lack of a routine really jumps out. They don’t play in the same day slashtime slot in consecutive weeks until mid December. And Reed and Mahomes and the whole crew embrace it and never use as an excuse. Well, a little bit of a projection there, but we’ll go with it. Chances the Chiefs revenge season gets off to a slow start. I love the schedule. I love that. Love it. Well, I already knew who they were going to play, so the question is the order. And I would and I love that it’s frontloaded for a number of reasons. One is the Chiefs actually hit in training camp. They actually play their guys and because of that historically I know they lost the home opener to the Lions a couple years ago. Historically they are really really good in September. And I also the part of last year’s schedule that I hated there were two parts actually. the three games in 10 days and then the buy in week five or six that they had last year. So I can I’m not gonna go game for game on this, but can I just tell you how I see the Chief schedule breaking down in buckets? Love it. All right, weeks one through four, I think they’re three and one. They lose to either Philly or Baltimore, one of those two. They are not losing a home opener to a Chargers team. Last time they were on the field, Justin was throwing four interceptions. They’re obviously not losing to the Jets. weird weird, you know, weird home opener, right? The Brazil game is is just going to be Yeah. a lot of X factors. I I get that. I would expect the Chiefs to be better prepared than the Chargers. I think for Xactor games, I’ll go with, you know, weird location, weird time. The and Harball’s a good coach. He’s not Andy Reid. The next bucket of four games, uh, Jags, Lions, Raiders, Commanders. I think they will go three and one again. I think they could lose to the Lions or the Commanders. By the way, all of those loable games I’ve mentioned are at Arrowhead. Like they all their hard games are almost all their hard games are at home. They obviously will lose to Buffalo before the buy because they lose to Buffalo every single year and they won’t lose another game the rest of the year except for maybe week 18 if they’re not playing guys. They’ll be 13 and three going into that Raiders game. If they play guys, they’ll go 14 and three. If they don’t, they can go 13 and four. But I think through nine weeks they’ll be six and three with a loss to Buffalo defeated in the and then right and then undefeated in the division as they typically are maybe a loss in week 18 again. And I love that the softest part of their schedule is late in the year when they’re ramping up for another 20 game season. Can I just have I’ll get your take on it, Brew? You’re going to get Cam Ward. What is that? Week 16. So Cam Ward, I would rather play Cam Ward who’s just figuring stuff out than week 16 Cam Ward. Same with Bo Knicks is now we’re like, “All right, Bo Knicks is in the tail end of year two. Gino is going to have it all figured out.” You know, I would rather have the new quarterbacks early on in the year rather than late. I don’t view that as super soft. Okay. Well, if playing the Titans isn’t soft, then there are no soft games. I mean, if I hear you. He’s still a rookie and he’s still Yeah. I mean, I I agree. I agree with I agree with your general. I would rather play Jaden Daniels early in the year than I get that, but it’s still not it’s still Cam Ward as a rookie. It’s still like I just I know Nick loves him, but no, I mean I just again like I the I agree with your general point, which is young quarterbacks. Yeah. Theoretically, you’d rather play them early than late, but there’s a lot of young quarterbacks who we have seen get off to blazing hot first six week starts and then there’s more film, they get more figured out and then all of a sudden, you know what I mean? They’re easier. But I think we agree the toughest teams the Chiefs play are before the buy and their schedule is really incredibly difficult before the buy and much easier after the buy. And I just I love it. And I think the Eagles game will be real rockous and with real with something really to prove for Kansas City. And by the way, they can lose that game. They they could lose that game. But I I like where that is as well. I agree that obviously it’s tougher at the beginning. I don’t think it’s a cakewalk at the end. Now Tennessee compared to what they have the rest of the way. Yeah. But you know, D Houston and the Chargers like I really like the Chargers. I think at worst I don’t bad bad start. I think at worst they’re two and two. At worst I do think the Chargers could beat them in Brazil. The Chargers you know they up we know Harbaugh wants to run. They upgrade their running back room greatly. I mean they drafted the kid Hampton. They got Naji Harris. You know defensively he worked wonders with them a year ago. Took him from one of the bottom 10 defenses to the number one defense. I’m thinking they’re going to be even a little better or at least as good defensively. Philly, of course, could be a loss. I think they’ll split. At worst, again, they’ll beat the Giants clearly, but split, they could split with Philly or Baltimore, but I think at worst they’re two-2. They beat the Jags, so you’re three and two. At worst, I think the Lions, while I think they’ll be good, I think they could be there going to be a drop off. Lions will be a little bit of a drop off. Let me add one Lions fact. I Jared Goff, you can fact check me on this Josh, but I’m almost certain I’m right, is the only quarterback in the league Mahomes has played more than once and never beaten. Now, it’s just 0 and2, but he is 0 and2 against golf. The the the classic 5451 on Monday night, Mahomes first year as a starter, and then the home opener the other day. Can Do you have something you want to add? No. All right. I would like to add something. Okay. You guys see these uh schedule release videos? Yes. Yeah. They’re interest of them. Yeah. Pretty good. They’re pretty smart. Pretty well done. There’s a theme across some of these AFC West teams videos. Think it’s fun to mock the Chiefs. Oh, I didn’t. I don’t know. I don’t know which one we want to play. So, the Raiders and the Chargers both got in on both got in on the fun. I don’t The Raiders This is how they announced that they were playing the Chiefs. Uh they they had flags come out of nowhere. That was to tell the world they’re playing the Chiefs. I do like and the the char that’s that’s that’s out that’s the Chiefs announcement. And the Chargers on the other hand, who of course can’t do any Minecrafting about their own Super Bowl appearances because the last time they were in a Super Bowl, they were getting beaten by 50 with Bobby Ross as their head coach. They are taking pride in the Eagles beating the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. I don’t totally understand it. Odd. It is odd. It It Yeah. Uh that’s not you. You exactly. You accomplish nothing. And so I say all that to say this. The board please. What the Broncos do? Broncos were too busy talking all off season. Sean Baiton. Broncos did didn’t do anything. But sadly the Raiders and the Chargers with this schedule release mockery. Schedule release mockery has made the revenge season bulletin board. I’m dropping tax. Luckily my suit’s fine. Yeah. So, Raider and listen, you guys know I’m a Raiders guy this year. I think Gino and Ashton Genty and Pete Carol are going to be good. But yeah, we have new additions to the board. Thanks for watching. Subscribe here to get more from the show and to check out clips from other shows on FS1.

The Boston Celtics beat the New York Knicks 127-102 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes discuss the biggest takeaways from the Celtics’ win without Jayson Tatum. Plus, they discuss the Kansas City Chiefs’ schedule and if their “revenge” season will start slow.

#FirstThingsFirst #NBA #Celtics

The all-new FOX Sports App, built for the modern sports fan: https://tinyurl.com/y4uouolb

► Breakfast Ball’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastBallonFS1
► First Things First’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstThingsFirst
► SPEAK’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SpeakOnFS1
► The Facility’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFacilityonFS1
► All Facts No Brakes with Keyshawn Johnson YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AllFactsPod

About First Things First:
Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes team up on First Things First. The trio offers their take on a bevy of sports stories alongside special guests from across the sports world.

Celtics ‘proved they had heart’ against Knicks, Chiefs season to start slow? | FIRST THINGS FIRST

First Things First
https://www.youtube.com/c/FirstThingsFirst