Paul George is bringing a chip the size of the Garden to Boston, and Mike Conley, at 38 years old, is riding right alongside him on a desperate hunt for a championship. These two veterans, hitting the Auerbach Center podium Tuesday afternoon, made it abundantly clear: they didn’t come to the Celtics for a victory lap.
The Ring-Chasing Mission is ON
Look, these guys have done it all, almost. Mike Conley is rolling into his 20th NBA season, and Paul George is right behind him in his 17th. You’re talking about a combined 10 All-Star appearances, over 36,000 career points scored, and each of them has been to the NBA playoffs 12 times. That’s insane production! But here’s the kicker, the one glaring hole in those incredible resumes: neither of them has an NBA title. George straight-up said, “I believe I’m a winning guy. And so that’s always gonna be a chip on my shoulder.” You can feel that burning desire, can’t you? This isn’t just another stop for them; it’s the final frontier.
Urgency, Urgency, Urgency!
Conley made his choice to sign with the Celtics as a free agent crystal clear: he’s here for his first-ever championship. George echoed that, stressing how joining an organization absolutely dripping with banners only cranked up his own desire to win one. Conley put it perfectly, “You look around the league, there are very few organizations and teams that you look at that honestly are trying to win every year. The culture here in Boston speaks for itself , the championships, the banners, the fanbase.”
Conley, who’s likely stepping in as the backup point guard, knows he’s still got gas in the tank on the court. But it’s his leadership off the floor, and that white-hot desire to win at 38, that could be the real game-changer. He wants to reignite that fire for the guys who’ve already tasted a title, saying he wants to “continue to push them every day, continue to show them how bad we want to win in practices and try to translate that to games.” George feels the same, emphasizing, “When you think of Boston, it’s winning.” He hasn’t won yet, so “the chip on my shoulder is , I believe I’m a winning player. I believe I’m all about winning, being a winning teammate, a winning locker room guy.”
These guys aren’t just joining a team; they’re bringing a full-blown mission of desperation and urgency to a Celtics squad that’s only two years removed from a title. They want that championship so bad, they can taste it. Get ready, because the season is about to get intense.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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