"Sometimes they get a little bored": LeBron James offers blunt take on Celtics' shocking playoff collapse

On Tuesday, LA Lakers star LeBron James offered a blunt take on the Boston Celtics and their shocking playoff collapse. The King believed the team could have gotten a "little bored," especially due to their tremendous success in the past few seasons. The reigning champions were knocked out of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the New York Knicks.

During a recent episode of his 'Mind the Gap' podcast with Steve Nash, James gave his views on the Celtics' early exit. Explaining that the team had endured an enormous amount of success in the last few seasons, he believed they could have become a "little bored."

"Seems like they get bored sometimes, I don't want to say with the process, s*it, they are who they are. You look at Tatum and Brown, this is years, and years, and years, and years, they've punched their ten thousand hours. Sometimes it seems like they get a little bored because of how great they are. Not only them two as individuals but them as a team," James explained.

Expand Tweet

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

The blunt take came after the Celtics were eliminated in six games by the New York Knicks after earning the 2nd seed in the East this season. In the last five seasons, the Celtics have been to the Eastern Conference finals thrice and made it to the NBA Finals twice, winning one.

According to LeBron, this repetitive habit of winning as a team has come at a cost, as many anticipate the roster to undergo a rebuild this offseason.

LeBron James ranks SGA among current greats while discussing one specific attribute

Former Miami Heat star LeBron James recently acknowledged OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as one of the top current NBA players when discussing the most lethal mid-range shooters. James praised Gilgeous-Alexander for his exceptional shot-making abilities as he continues to evolve into a superstar and a strong MVP candidate.

During an episode of the Mind the Game podcast, James was asked about the most ferocious mid-range shooter in the NBA by Steve Nash. He was seen listing off some big names, including Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

"It's just certain guys that are literally assassins at contested twos. Shai being one of them. Demar DeRozan being one of them. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving ... They'd much rather you contest than not contest," he explained.

Expand Tweet

LeBron James' praise of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't without its merit, as the young star is currently a frontrunner for the MVP award. He has also led the Thunder to its first conference finals of this decade as they face the Minnesota Timberwolves beginning Tuesday, May 20th.

About the author

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

Know More

Los Angeles Lakers Fan? Check out the latest Lakers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

Edited by Gio Vergara