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It is early June and, to the dismay of New Englanders, the Boston Celtics have nothing to play for. They were eliminated from the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs by the Philadelphia 76ers and must watch the upcoming NBA Finals from the couch.
For the neutral fan, it should be a great showdown between the talented San Antonio Spurs, led by French phenom Victor Wembanyama, and the gritty New York Knicks, who follow star point guard Jalen Brunson into battle. But, Celtics fans aren't exactly neutral, so here are five reasons why they should side with the Western Conference over the Eastern Conference while watching the Finals.
Center Luke Kornet was far from a household name when he signed with the Celtics in 2022. After joining the C's, though, Boston went to three Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals and ended up winning it all in 2024.
Of course, Kornet was not the driving force behind these deep playoff runs, but his locker room presence and reliable minutes off the bench transformed him into a beloved Celtic. It felt like every Celtics fan, player, and staffer was sad to see him go last summer when he signed a four-year, $41 million contract with the Spurs.
The quippy 7-footer garnered fans for life in Beantown, so Celtics fans can find some joy in rooting him on in his quest for a second ring.
Kornet was with the Celtics when all they knew was winning. That wasn't always the case for forward Kelly Olynyk, yet the former first-round pick also became somewhat of a local legend in Boston.
In Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Olynyk put on an unforgettable performance at TD Garden. He torched the Washington Wizards with a playoff career-high 26 points and hit shot after shot in the fourth quarter to ice the 115-105 victory. The C's lost in the next round to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, but his Game 7 heater should be enough to turn any neutral Celtics fan into a Spurs supporter, as Olynyk was traded to San Antonio last year.
The Celtics-Spurs tie goes deeper than former players. There's shared blood, too.
Spurs rookie Dylan Harper has electrified fans this postseason, and he just so happens to be the younger brother of Celtics guard Ron Harper Jr. The elder Harper has celebrated the success of his 20-year-old brother on social media throughout the playoffs and there's sure to be at least two current Celtics pulling for the Spurs ahead of Game 1 on Wednesday night.
The other Celtic who'll be cheering for the Spurs is guard Derrick White, who was traded to Boston by San Antonio in February of 2022.
White didn't just land in Boston out of convenience. On his own podcast, he recounted a story of how his trade to the Celtics was facilitated by legendary Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Pop wanted to ensure White went to a respectable organization, making the Celtics a prime candidate.
This worked in Boston's favor soon after. The Celtics made it to the 2022 NBA Finals in their first year with White and the Colorado native was a key part of their 2024 championship. White continues to be vital to the C's and was even named to the All-Defensive First Team in May.
If any Celtics fan is on the fence about who to root for in the Finals, they may need a history lesson. The Celtics and Knicks have one of the oldest rivalries in the NBA and the cities of Boston and New York are no stranger to sports beef either. Meanwhile, the Celtics see the Spurs just twice a season and have never met in the Finals before.
Simply put, Boston doesn't hold anything against San Antonio, however, it does despise New York.
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp
iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47
YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Why Celtics fans should root for the Spurs rather than the Knicks in the NBA Finals
Continue reading...
For the neutral fan, it should be a great showdown between the talented San Antonio Spurs, led by French phenom Victor Wembanyama, and the gritty New York Knicks, who follow star point guard Jalen Brunson into battle. But, Celtics fans aren't exactly neutral, so here are five reasons why they should side with the Western Conference over the Eastern Conference while watching the Finals.
The Spurs have the lovable Luke Kornet
Center Luke Kornet was far from a household name when he signed with the Celtics in 2022. After joining the C's, though, Boston went to three Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals and ended up winning it all in 2024.
Of course, Kornet was not the driving force behind these deep playoff runs, but his locker room presence and reliable minutes off the bench transformed him into a beloved Celtic. It felt like every Celtics fan, player, and staffer was sad to see him go last summer when he signed a four-year, $41 million contract with the Spurs.
The quippy 7-footer garnered fans for life in Beantown, so Celtics fans can find some joy in rooting him on in his quest for a second ring.
The Spurs roster former playoff hero Kelly Olynyk
Kornet was with the Celtics when all they knew was winning. That wasn't always the case for forward Kelly Olynyk, yet the former first-round pick also became somewhat of a local legend in Boston.
In Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Olynyk put on an unforgettable performance at TD Garden. He torched the Washington Wizards with a playoff career-high 26 points and hit shot after shot in the fourth quarter to ice the 115-105 victory. The C's lost in the next round to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, but his Game 7 heater should be enough to turn any neutral Celtics fan into a Spurs supporter, as Olynyk was traded to San Antonio last year.
The Celtics have a familial connection with the Spurs
The Celtics-Spurs tie goes deeper than former players. There's shared blood, too.
Spurs rookie Dylan Harper has electrified fans this postseason, and he just so happens to be the younger brother of Celtics guard Ron Harper Jr. The elder Harper has celebrated the success of his 20-year-old brother on social media throughout the playoffs and there's sure to be at least two current Celtics pulling for the Spurs ahead of Game 1 on Wednesday night.
The Spurs did the Celtics a big favor not so long ago
The other Celtic who'll be cheering for the Spurs is guard Derrick White, who was traded to Boston by San Antonio in February of 2022.
White didn't just land in Boston out of convenience. On his own podcast, he recounted a story of how his trade to the Celtics was facilitated by legendary Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Pop wanted to ensure White went to a respectable organization, making the Celtics a prime candidate.
This worked in Boston's favor soon after. The Celtics made it to the 2022 NBA Finals in their first year with White and the Colorado native was a key part of their 2024 championship. White continues to be vital to the C's and was even named to the All-Defensive First Team in May.
The most obvious reason
If any Celtics fan is on the fence about who to root for in the Finals, they may need a history lesson. The Celtics and Knicks have one of the oldest rivalries in the NBA and the cities of Boston and New York are no stranger to sports beef either. Meanwhile, the Celtics see the Spurs just twice a season and have never met in the Finals before.
Simply put, Boston doesn't hold anything against San Antonio, however, it does despise New York.
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp
iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47
YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Why Celtics fans should root for the Spurs rather than the Knicks in the NBA Finals
Continue reading...
