The Boston Celtics fell behind the Miami Heat earlier this week, down 0-3. Nearly everyone was looking at a hasty and embarrassing exit for Boston.
History is on the naysayers’ side. No team in the NBA has ever come back from an 0 and 3 deficit in the playoffs. On other pro sports, yes, but not pro basketball.
But apparently, the Celtics ignored the history books and the naysayers, because, after two back-to-back wins against the Heat, the Celtics are in a position to force a decisive game seven if they win game six. A win there would net them the potential to be the first NBA team to go from three straight losses away from elimination to series victory. But to do that, the Celtics need to keep up the moves that got them to this point.
Beantown needs Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to keep up their much-improved shooting. The Celtics as a whole seem to be playing better in the last two games than the first three when they were outshined by the Heat and their hot shooter, Jimmy Butler. Now it’s the Heat that needs to turn up the wattage when they meet Saturday night at 8:30 in Miami.
At least on paper, it’s still the Heat with the easiest path to the Finals. They need to win only one game. The Celtics need two. But destiny has a way of tipping the scales, and any goal gets easier step by step. The Celtics have to go 0-1 in game six. Then go 0-1 in game seven. Celts win series!
Then they meet the well-rested Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. But let’s focus on now and this playoff series, where history is close to being made.
But as far as the Celtics are concerned, never mind making history. They have bigger goals in mind.
