The Boston Celtics have the potential to accomplish something never before seen in an NBA postseason series.
A team that has lost three games in a row and then won a seven game playoff series is the only one to have done so. The TD Garden, in Boston, is the place to be Monday night.
The Boston Celtics, with their buzzer-beater victory in Game 6 over the Miami Heat became the only NBA team in history to overcome a three-point deficit in a seven-game series.
How did the Celtics calm the room down after they fell behind? Topgolf, in Miami, might have been the difference.
according to several reports, including a Jared Weiss article in The Athletic, the team skipped a filming session after losing Game 3 and headed to the local driving range to hit irons.
Grant Williams stated, “We totally skipped film.” We kept the basketball out of it and focused only on each other, regaining that team spirit and camaraderie. We were able enjoy each other without any pressure. We’ve done movies before, we’ve done dinners. It was the first time we had done something like that. “The next day we shot the film.”
ECF reports on #Celtics. After Game 3, Marcus Smart said the team was frustrated and confused. He said that a team-building event held at Topgolf Miami was the key. “The whole team came together to release negative energy and get chemistry…”
— Ros Gold Onwude May 27, 2020
The Celtics’ move worked wonders, as they responded with a 116-99 win in the fourth game of the series. They then won at home in the fifth and stole a late win in the sixth to push the series beyond its limit.
Heat has a chance of winning the series – Game 7 will be played on Monday at 8:30 pm. ET, TNT), and the winner will face Denver in the NBA Finals. But they must win in Boston to avoid a comeback that could be historic.
“We can do it. Butler said, “I know we will succeed.” We’ve got go on the road, and we have to win in an extremely, very, tough environment. We are capable. So let’s get busy.”
In 150 attempts, no team has ever won an NBA playoffs series after falling behind 3-0. Only three teams have forced a Game 7, following a loss of the first three games in a series.
Boston could be the first. The Celtics are in a good position to win this game because they have the momentum, confidence, and experience.
Despite their flaws, they still know how to win when their season is on the line. Joe Mazzulla, Celtics coach, said: “They’ve been doing this for a long time and have done it in their worst times.”
Boston’s two All-NBA stars were the key to forcing the scenario of win or go home. Jayson Tatum scored 31, had 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks, while Jaylen Brown added 26 points, had 10 rebounds, and had three steals. Marcus Smart from Boston added 21 points.
The Celtics, who were down 3-0 just a week earlier, avoided elimination in their fifth straight game after trailing Philadelphia by 3-2 in the conference semi-finals.
The Celtics are now on their way to a historic return, and they can thank some relaxation time at the range for that. Horford struggled during the shooting session to make good contact, but that was not the point.
It’s more on a human level, right?” Horford a href=”https://theathletic.com/4558277/2023/05/28/celtics-al-horford-game-6heat comeback/”>told The Athletic/a>. Horford said to The Athletic that it’s on a more human level. “Like the friendships and bonds we’ve formed here. I want everyone to be good at basketball. I know that we can get caught up with our work, but it is our job, so it’s normal. You have to keep that in mind, but you also have to be able see things from a different perspective.
