Magic Johnson hasn't seen enough from the Boston Celtics to expect a 2026 NBA Finals appearance.
The Los Angeles Lakers icon shunned his former rival, instead forecasting an Eastern Conference Finals matchup between two teams that met on Thursday night. For those thinking a straightforward prediction doesn't align with Johnson's typical tweeting style, the Hall of Famer also shouted out the Celtics and two other contenders.
"Now I think it’s going to be the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals," Johnson wrote. "The Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers will be their main competition but, let’s not forget about the Boston Celtics. Especially the way Jaylen Brown has been playing, the Celtics know how to win."
Johnson watched the Pistons make another statement with a 126-111 win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The five-time champion was particularly impressed by Cade Cunningham, who tallied 42 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in an MVP-esque performance.
"Cade scored from everywhere on the court - three point, the midrange jumper and he was driving it to the basket," Johnson wrote. "He may have had the play of the year when he dunked on three Knicks with his left hand!"
If the current standings hold, the Celtics could host the Knicks in a second-round matchup for the second straight postseason. Boston may especially be positioned to prove Johnson wrong if Jayson Tatum returns from an Achilles injury in time to lead a championship pursuit.
The Celtics will seek their eighth win in nine games when facing the Los Angeles Lakers this Sunday night on NBC.
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