"If You Want The World Champion Title, Come And Beat Us In OAKA." - The Head Coach Of The Euroleague Champion Panathinaikos Foolishly Called Out The NBA Champion Boston Celtics

I'm sorry, we're still doing this? Haven't these people learned by now what happens when call out the Boston Celtics? I'm not sure if this Ergin Ataman fella has been paying attention, but we have a well documented history of what happens to the teams/fanbases that choose this path

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For those who may not remember, that was a 4-1, 4-1, 4-0, and 4-1 result for those teams. Basically, it's a death wish.

And I know there's all this hooplah over "world champions" ever since Noah Lyles went on that rant last summer about how the NBA isn't really a "world champion" since they don't play the world and blah blah blah. Whatever. It's the best collection of basketball players in the world in the best league in the world. Who cares that people say "world champions" when talking about the NBA.

But you know what? I don't hate this idea. I'd love to see an exhibition game between the Celts and Panathinaikos because make no mistake, they would get destroyed. Remember, this is the team we're talking about here in the 2024 NBA Champion Boston Celtics. This is what they just wrapped up doing against the best competition on earth

In looking at the Panathinaikos roster, I see former Celtic flameout Juancho Hernangomez, former NBA players Kendrick Nunn, Kyle Guy, Jerian Grant, and Kostas Antetokounmpo and that's pretty much it. 

THAT is the team that's going to beat a team that went 80-21 in their 101 games last year? For sure not. I'd even be willing to do it without Porzingis, but if we get KP too? It's a wrap. But I get it, this is what usually happens. A team talks tough about playing the Boston Celtics until it's actually time to play the Boston Celtics, and then suddenly life isn't so sweet. 

But seriously, let's make this happen. Who cares about DEN/BOS in the preseason in Abu Dhabi, give us this instead. If you're going to talk the talk, let's see you try and walk the walk.