Chandler Parsons Labels Boston the Lakers of the East
Former NBA forward Chandler Parsons called the Boston Celtics the Lakers of the Eastern Conference during Tuesday’s episode of “Run It Back”. Parsons pointed to what he views as a heavily top-heavy roster on a team that entered Tuesday with a 5-2 record and the third spot in the conference standings.
“Like, you know what you’re gonna get with [Jayson] Tatum. Paul George has been surprisingly good and healthy,” Parsons said. He questioned what production the team will ultimately secure from younger rotation pieces.
“Can Hugo Gonzalez take the next step? What can you get from [Baylor] Scheierman? What can you get from guys like [Jordan] Walsh?” Parsons asked. “They almost need one of these players to have a coming out party and be that X-factor for this team where you know what you’re going to get from the main core. But outside those top 3 or 4 guys, they’re a little thin with depth and you don’t know where that production is going to come.”
Chandler Parsons calls the Celtics "the Lakers of the East" 😳 "You know what you're gonna get with Jayson Tatum, Paul George has been surprisingly good…but outside the top 3 or 4 guys, they're thin."@MichelleDBeadle | @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/1egQT6pvFC
Boston Bench Struggles with Inconsistent Early Season Shooting Numbers
While Parsons expressed confidence in head coach Joe Mazzulla, he questioned whether Boston ultimately has enough talent to make it out of the Eastern Conference. Statistical returns through the opening weeks of the season validate some of those depth concerns.
Payton Pritchard has been inconsistent to start the season, averaging 13.4 points on 40.3 percent shooting from the field. Derrick White’s 3-point shooting continues to be an issue, as he’s made just 32.4 percent of his 3-point attempts. Meanwhile, Mitchell Robinson hasn’t made the impact the Celtics hoped for, and reserves like Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Hugo Gonzalez are still looking to establish themselves as reliable contributors.
Conversely, the top of the roster has carried the load. Jayson Tatum looks like an MVP candidate again, and Paul George has been as good as anyone could have expected. Those two stars provide the baseline star power required to battle any opponent.
Whether the supporting cast can bridge the gap remains the defining question for Boston as the regular season unfolds.
