There's no sugarcoating it. I still can't believe they're actually in this situation, but the Boston Celtics find themselves trailing the EIGHT-SEEDED Miami Heat three games to none in the NBA's 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. Sure, the Heat aren't your average 8 seed, but a Celtics' season with legitimate championship aspirations is on the brink, and frankly, it's unacceptable. In a must-win game 3, the C's got run out of the gym, looking like a team that gave up after giving away the first two games at home. Miami has simply wanted it more through three games.
I don't know what to expect tonight. Part of me selfishly wants the series to end immediately so I don't have to worry about planning my Ubah rides around watching a playoff game. Plus, if we get swept, the C's will likely do the right thing and fire Joe Mazzulla so he can have more time to watch The Town four times a week. But as a hashtag, good guy, this is much bigger than me. I love the Boston Celtics and feel for my fellow New Englanders. People act like Boston is spoiled, but the C's have won a single championship since 1987. That's the same as the Kansas City Royals. Celtics fans haven't been spoiled in 35 years and I am only 31. Much has changed since our region's last championship win in February 2019. The Boston Red Sox traded away a future Hall of Famer for 18 cents on the dollar to save money. Tom Brady left us for scuzzy Florida and now owns a slice of the Las Vegas Raiders (it's still so fucked they're not in Oakland). A global pandemic killed millions and destroyed even more brains. There's a legit threat of fascism in this country, and to top it all off, people still suck billionaires' dicks and vote against their own self-interests. Before I get myself even more depressed about the world, let's focus on the Boston Celtics. Despite their frustrating play and consistent lack of urgency, they're still my fucking guys. I love this core and still believe they're talented enough to win a championship. It's just so infuriating to see them constantly play with their food and not take care of business. I knew Miami had a legit chance in this series, but I never saw a world where the Celtics would be down 3-0. Not even the I.T. and Jae Crowder C's went down 3-0 after getting destroyed at home in the first two games of the 2017 ECF. No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a seven-game series, but if there ever was a team to do it...the defending conference champs with two All-NBA stars and the 6th man of the year, that ESPN gave a fuckin 97% (like jinxing ass holes) to win this series seems like a solid team to change history. I mean, we did see a 16-seed win (again) this March. After no home teams played in/won the Super Bowl for 54 years, then it happened in back-to-back seasons (2020 Bucs & 2021 Rams). Things eventually change in life. Someday a NBA team will come back down 3-0. Whether it's the 2022-23 Boston Celtics remains to be seen. The obvious parallel with the Celtic's current situation is the 2004 Boston Red Sox. In case you're like eight years old or don't know about the best comeback in sports history, the '04 Boston Red Sox trailed the 2004 American League Championship Series three games to none vs. their biggest rival, the New York Yankees. Morale couldn't be lower after losing 19-8 in Game 3, but somehow they managed to win four straight to advance to the World Series, where they swept the 105 win St. Louis Cardinals for their first championship in 86 years. I've seen way too many people making the same '04 Sox references/jokes since Sunday night thinking they're being original, but now even Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown are paraphrasing Kevin Millar.
I mean if we win tonight, we got Pedro Game 5, Schill Game 6 and Game 7 anything can happen...
This series has been all about heart and coaching. The Celtics roster is loaded with talent, and most of this core was around last season for the NBA Finals: Presented by YoutubeTV run, but the Heat play with heart and have a better culture than the Celtics. They've got four undrafted guys out-playing/hearting/hustling us. The Heat's advantage from a coaching standpoint cannot be overstated. Erik Spoelstra vs. Joe Mazzulla is like a guitar showdown between Eric Clapton and an infant born without hands.
Miami has undrafted guys looking like Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard, while the C's have the mental toughness of a water bed with a leak, but that doesn't mean the tides can't turn.
For one, the NBA wants the C's in the NBA Finals: Presented by YoutubeTV for better ratings, so maybe we'll catch a couple of breaks, but in all seriousness, despite being down 3-0, we have the firepower to win. It's a cliche, but they really just gotta worry about the task at hand and deal with the rest if they get the opportunity.
Tonight is about having a little fucking pride. Are you gonna roll over and die or fight back and show why the scumbags at ESPN gave you a 97% to win this series? Are the C's gonna let Jimmy Butler do whatever the fuck he wants or actually have a game plan? Maybe we can pass the ball instead of standing around watching Jayson or Jaylen attempt a HORSE-caliber circus shot and for the love of God Al, make a fucking wide open three. People have been shitting on Grant Williams for getting Jimmy Butler going and sparking a 24-9 Heat run in Game 2, but I applaud Grant for at least having a little heart and standing up to J But. He's a role player, but at least he's trying to light a fire under the rest of his team. At times it feels like the C's think they're gonna win simply by showing up, which is not how things work in professional sports. Miami has a top 10 guy in Jimmy Butler and a future HOF coach. They're up 3-0 and deserve to be (even though the C's could've won the first two games). Does it all end tonight, or will the C's have some pride and put up a fight? I wouldn't be shocked either way, but if there was ever a team to become the first in NBA to come back from a 3-0 deficit, it's this Celtics team. My confidence isn't high, but I'm not giving up yet. Hopefully, neither do they. #BleenGreen
P.S.
I think trading Jaylen Brown would be an idiotic thing (unless he flat out says he's not gonna resign..then obvi you gotta get all you can for him). Sometimes he and Jayson can piss you off with their inconsistencies, but they're still one of the best duos in the NBA and young AF. You don't destroy that core. You find pieces that complement it. I'm not the biggest x's & o's hoop guy, but maybe having a traditional play-making point guard to get them the ball would help?? I love Marcus, but that's not who he is. Also, a coach that wants to do things coaches are supposed to do, like coaching and motivating their team, would be ideal. Double P.S. Please don't get it twisted...I know it may look bad to some that I didn't blog about the C's Game 2 or 3 losses, but Game 2 was a Friday and I was working. Then on Sunday night, hand-up I got a little banged up during the game and was too angry/sad to write. That would be irresponsible! Yesterday, my back pain was so shitty that I did nothing but try to stay still and not aggravate it anymore. I felt bad not writing and had to return today before Game 4. Hopefully someone has a Dave Roberts moment tonight and gets the C's going. Grant, I'm looking at you.
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