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Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts after making a three-point shot against the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Frost Bank Center on March 10, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas.
Four-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins is picking the Boston Celtics to represent the East in the 2026 NBA Finals, and isn’t ruling out the possibility of Joe Mazzulla’s team winning the championship in June.
While reacting to the Celtics ending the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 12-game winning streak, Cousins said he doesn’t see any other team in the East matching up against Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Co. in a seven-game playoff series.
“I do think it’s possible that the Celtics can beat Thunder in a seven-game series,” Cousins told Fan Duel TV’s “Run it Back” of a hypothetical NBA Finals clash pitting the former two champions.
“…This is a championship team. They have championship DNA, the experience, a lot of winning ways and they just got one of their best players back from injury.”
Celtics vs. Thunder NBA Finals?
Cousins stressed that a 70% version of Tatum could be enough for the Celtics to make a deep playoff run, given the cohesion shown by Mazzulla’s team.
“I absolutely believe this team has a chance,” he said of the C’s hoisting Banner No. 19.
“…They have the intangibles to do so. But that OKC team — they’re hot and running — they also have a chance. The playoffs are going to be very interesting this year.”
Oddsmakers currently have the Thunder (+135), Celtics (+550) and San Antonio Spurs (+600) as the three favorites to win the championship. As such, it’s more than likely that Wednesday’s Thunder versus Celtics game was an NBA Finals preview.
Jayson Tatum Nearing Peak Form?
Another factor working in the Celtics’ favor is that Jayson Tatum, who has struggled to shoot the ball since returning from an Achilles injury, is nearing his old self. During Wednesday’s 119-109 win over Oklahoma City, Tatum finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists while shooting 50% from three.
After the game, Jaylen Brown said it was “encouraging” to see his longtime teammate find his groove in his ninth game back from injury.
“I felt like that was a great, encouraging game for JT,” Brown said, via Boston.com.
“It felt like that was a step in the right direction.
“We’re still encouraging him to get back to that level of aggression that we know and are used to. But I think today was a great game of him making the right plays, making the right reads, being physical, and being Jayson Tatum. I think it’s a step in the right direction.”
Brown, who finished with 31 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the win, explained why his team got up for the clash against the reigning NBA champions.
“I really wanted that win. That was well-needed,” Brown said of beating the Thunder.
“We needed that as well. We know we could play with anybody, but when you get a win on your own floor against the team that has the best record in the league, it feels good.”
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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