Boston Celtics Take One in Miami

“Don’t let us get one.”

The message from Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown was sent loud and clear ahead of yesterday’s matchup against the Miami Heat. Down 3-0 in the series against the Heat, where they meet again in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics had a lot to prove.

Marcus Smart: “Don’t let us get one.”
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) May 23, 2023

Only THREE NBA teams have ever tied a playoff series, when down 0-3, but none have ever won in Game 7. Are the Celtics poised to make history? Anything is possible.

Getting a win on Miami’s home court, when facing elimination, is a tough task. The odds were against the Celtics, but boy did they show up! After a blowout win by Miami in Game 3, led by Gabe Vincent and Duncan Robinson, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum had no choice but to step up. The dynamic duo finished the game with a combined 50 points! Other key contributors for the Celtics also showed up on the stat sheets when it mattered. Four other players in green finished in double digits, while the team’s overall defensive intensity was locked in all four quarters.

Now, with the odds still against them, the Celtics head back to Boston to host Game 5 this Thursday. The only other sports team in Boston to ever come back from a 0-3 deficit and win it all are the Red Sox. The Celtics will need to channel that same energy if they’re looking to advance and finish their “unfinished business.”