Rick Carlisle: Celtics Have ‘Legitimate Chance’ to Reach NBA Finals

The Celtics “have a legitimate chance” to reach the NBA Finals, according to Mavs head coachRick Carlisle.

Dallas suffered a 111-98 loss in Boston on Monday night, and Carlisle came away very impressed by Isaiah Thomas and company.

The defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers remain the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference, of course, but Carlisle cautions everyone not to sleep on the C’s:

“They’re very well-balanced, they’re deep, they’ve gained a lot of experience,” Carlisle told CSNNE.com in a Tuesday morning phone interview.

 

“If Cleveland is completely healthy and whole, they’re going to be favored over anybody in the East; there’s no question about that,” Carlisle said. “But the grouping below Cleveland; you’re talking about Boston, Washington, Toronto, that grouping, that’s wide open. If you can get to the conference finals in the East, you give yourself a puncher’s chance in a seven-game series.”

 

“We’re always looking forward, and that’s a team (Cleveland) ahead of us,” Isaiah Thomas said following Monday night’s win. “My sights are definitely on Cleveland. We’re in reach, but we just gotta keep it going.”