Discussion
Stephen A: The West poses an EASIER PATH to the NBA Finals š£ āCeltics are a ROADBLOCK!ā | First Take
On First Take, Stephen A. Smith, Kendrick Perkins and Monica McNutt join Molly Qerim to discuss whether the Western Conference or the Eastern Conference will offer an easier postseason path to the NBA Finals. 0:00 Perk (inadvertently) argues the Eastās difficulty 3:03 Stephen A. canāt trust Kawhi Leonard 4:18 Celtics are a āconcrete roadblockā inā¦
@NGC1986
March 28, 2025 at 5:01 pm
Had this debate with someone recently. I think it depends on how you look at it. There are more āgoodā teams in the west.. but only one ācontenderā. There are more āmediocreā teams in the east.., but two ācontendersāā¦ so whatās harder? Beating 3 āgoodā teams to get there or one great/contending team? Odds of losing to a team who is a contender in a series is much higher than a good one, so Iād argue overall the East is tougher
@tripdagrim2504
March 28, 2025 at 5:07 pm
How is the west easier? If everyone is healthy come playoff time you got,
Okc clearly ahead of everyone
Bron/Luka and Lakers are dangerous
Jokic/Murray and Nuggets are dangerous
Harden/Kawhi and Clippers could be dangerous
Steph/Jimmy and Warriors are a sleeper
Rockets are a sleeper
@BaseballStarAaron
March 28, 2025 at 5:09 pm
How is this even a question man
@reneepeters2478
March 28, 2025 at 5:15 pm
THESE GIRLS ARE A MESSā¦ ASK CLEAR QUESTIONS PLEASE! GEEEEEZ.
@mikielsahagun6054
March 28, 2025 at 5:21 pm
So 61 wins doesnāt say āYOU SHALL NOT PASS!!ā (Gandalf voice)?
@javiercarrillo914
March 28, 2025 at 5:28 pm
Boston was also a wall in 2022 and look what happened
@TashjianSimms
March 28, 2025 at 5:28 pm
š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£
@TashjianSimms
March 28, 2025 at 5:33 pm
Kp n dem can b funny some days
@aidanmcconnell2154
March 28, 2025 at 6:00 pm
As a clippers fan SAS is 100% right about kawhi
@jamaalhooks8256
March 28, 2025 at 6:29 pm
Molly better stop acting like Monica didnāt refuse to answer whether The Clippers or Lakers would do better in the playoffs.
@marcuswhite-rg5lj
March 28, 2025 at 6:32 pm
West, Got Pistons in the tougher East.
@warrenwashington609
March 28, 2025 at 6:49 pm
Perk a whole fool! ššš
@hoop2477
March 28, 2025 at 6:51 pm
LeBron got him saying anything just to hate bruh the east is easier
@shaylomontgomery9401
March 28, 2025 at 7:15 pm
Why doesnāt ESPN fire Stephen a Smith. They need to get rid of this guy
@KiddZomakk1
March 28, 2025 at 7:17 pm
Yall are gonna have a rude awakening when my Pacers win the finals
@tx_spook_la
March 28, 2025 at 7:26 pm
Iām 42 yrs young Iāve never had any kind of interest in watching Game Of Thrones š¤·š¾āāļø
@jmaster387
March 28, 2025 at 8:00 pm
Already starting this narrative incase the lakers make it š¤
@Big11449
March 28, 2025 at 8:01 pm
Stephen A setting up Bronās āroad to prosperityā š
@chrystophergladhill5577
March 28, 2025 at 8:06 pm
Celtics in six
@jkj03_
March 28, 2025 at 8:15 pm
The league wants a Celtics vs Lakers finals. Come back to this when it happens
@tin-n6u
March 28, 2025 at 9:16 pm
kendrickperkins
@tin-n6u
March 28, 2025 at 9:20 pm
monicam
@Darren-u8x
March 28, 2025 at 10:04 pm
The most significant factor that gives the Celtics an edge over the Cavaliers and the Thunder is their wealth of playoff experience. The Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, have been consistently deep in the playoffs in recent years. They have a proven track record of success in high-pressure games, including an appearance in the NBA Finals last season. Tatum, Brown, and Holiday are seasoned postseason players who know how to handle the intensity of playoff basketball. Their ability to perform under pressure, demonstrated through their deep playoff runs, provides them with a significant advantage over teams like OKC and Cleveland, who are still relatively untested in the postseason.
In contrast, both the Cavaliers and Thunder, while impressive in the regular season, have not shown the same level of sustained playoff success. The Cavs have a young core that includes Evan Mobley and Darius Garland, but they lack the kind of playoff experience that Tatum, Brown, and Holiday bring. Their previous postseason appearances ended in second-round exits, which raises concerns about their ability to step up when the stakes are highest. Similarly, the Thunder, while boasting a dynamic young roster led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, have yet to prove themselves in the grueling playoff atmosphere, making their postseason prospects uncertain.
The Celtics have established a championship-winning culture. Under the leadership of head coach Joe Mazzulla, the team has demonstrated resilience and mental toughness. They have had their ups and downs throughout the regular season, but their championship mentality remains intact. Their ability to stay focused during adversity, combined with their belief in the system, gives them an edge in the playoffs, where mental fortitude is often the difference between winning and losing.
The Cavaliers and Thunder, on the other hand, lack the same championship culture. While they have shown flashes of brilliance, they have not yet demonstrated the consistent excellence required to make a deep postseason run. The pressure of the playoffs often brings out the best in veteran teams, and the Celticsā roster is filled with players who have not only been through multiple playoff battles but also come out on top. This experience and culture are indispensable when it comes to competing for a title, especially when the competition is fierce.
@AlexisCando-yg6kk
March 28, 2025 at 10:26 pm
SAS saying the East is harder??ā¦ Look at the record SASā¦ The 8th seed in the West which is currently the Wolves has the same record as the 5th seed in the East which is the Pistonsā¦ Like common nowā¦ SAS is smoking weed
Edit 1: The West 6th-8th seed almost has the identical records as the 4th and 5th seed in the East like are we serious right nowā¦ SAS, you are losing it lately
Edit 2: The West arguably has 2 of the best players in the league right now and top 2 in MVP voting in SGA and Nikola Jokic so what is this none sense
@denissallanyu4034
March 28, 2025 at 10:52 pm
What? Stephen A Smith is losing it after the Lebron feud. His takes are horrible
@mmadmbjm
March 28, 2025 at 11:10 pm
West is harder
Cleveland wins it all
@TheRobversion1
March 28, 2025 at 11:17 pm
Depends on where youāre looking at.
The thunder is a clear favorite over anyone in the west. The celtics and cavs arent clear favorites over each other.
1st round: west is harder
2nd round: about similar
CF: east is harder
so if youāre a team thats just looking to get out of the 1st round, you want to be in the east. If youāre a true contender? you want to be out west.