The NBA playoffs are on the horizon, and the Boston Celtics are looking to make another deep run for a chance at an elusive 18th championship. The last Celtics Finals MVP, Paul Pierce, believes the C's have what it takes to return to the promised land, although he envisions them running into a familiar foe.

In an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints in late January, Pierce explained that it's “championship or bust” this season for Boston. He added that one of the biggest threats to Boston's title hopes lies with the Golden State Warriors, the defending champs that took the Green Team down in six games last season.

“For a contending team with a legit MVP candidate that went to the Finals last year, of course it’s championship or bust,” Pierce said about Boston's championship aspirations. “And I think the biggest threat is anybody to come out of the West, but I would love to see a rematch with Golden State and Boston.”

Although the Warriors are having a down year by their high standards, they're still a dynamic team with tons of playoff experience. They're currently sixth in the Western Conference with a 35-33 record, just ahead of a dubious play-in position.

While that slightly above-average record is far from the success Golden State fans have come to know, it doesn't take much for the Dubs to get hot. On Saturday night the Warriors' dazzling offense was on full-display, as reigning Finals MVP Stephen Curry caught fire late in the game to lead Golden State to a 125-116 overtime win over the talented Milwaukee Bucks.

Pierce spoke highly of the Warriors months ago, however, his trust in them seems to have remained the same. Yesterday, the Hall of Famer talked to another Celtics legend, Kevin Garnett, about how the Warriors could take down the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs:

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The Warriors will have some work to do before they can make it back to the NBA Finals, but so will the C's.

Can the Celtics return to the NBA Finals?

Getting to the Finals is hard enough, yet coming back to it after losing is also a tall task. Teams like the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns failed to get it done on the NBA's biggest stage in the last three seasons and neither of those squads have been able to return since.

As the current second seed in the Eastern Conference, Boston is primed to make some noise in a month, but to prove Pierce right the C's will have to reach new heights when the playoffs heat up.