For two out of the past three years, the Boston Celtics have gotten to the NBA Finals. It was never an easy road because they had to give up key guys like Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon on the way. Ime Udoka also got booted from the organization which made things harder. But, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown persevered to get back into this position once again. The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers only got one win apiece against them before the Indiana Pacers got swept. All of these are causes for celebrations but popping champagne bottles this early? The two stars along with Joe Mazzulla and the rest of the faithful don't think so.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, locked in
After decimating the Pacers on their home floor, celebrations were in order for the Eastern Conference champions. When they headed to the locker room, the energy shifted. There were two words that Jayson Tatum said to Jaylen Brown which made the two instantly very hungry to step on the parquet floors for the NBA Finals, via Jay King of The Athletic.
“Four more,” the Celtics All-NBA player said to the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
All Jaylen Brown could do was nod in agreement to Jayson Tatum. What makes this Celtics squad so different from the iterations that fans have seen in the past? Experience. Brown outlined that this team is ready to hoist up the franchise's 18th banner and Larry O'Brien trophy in the next two weeks.
“We feel like we’re a different team than we were last year and the year before that. I know everybody wants to continue to kind of pigeonhole us to what was happening in the past but we’ve had a different team every single year, different coaches, we’ve had like three coaches in the last five years. And still, people want to make it seem like it’s the same, it’s the same, it’s the same,” the Larry Bird trophy winner proclaimed.
The fast-paced evolution these two have experienced under Brad Stevens' care is impeccable. Now, they should make do with their potential and finally bring it home, for guys like Bill Walton and Bill Russell.
Celtics' road to the NBA Finals
The first thing they did was let go of key pieces. This got the Celtics a veteran unicorn in Kristaps Porzingis along with a proven leader and defensive mastermind in Jrue Holiday. Joe Mazzulla then kept running his schemes that banked on perimeter play. Everything worked well. The Celtics finished atop the NBA. They did so with a top-ranked offensive rating that clocked in at 123.2 and a defense that was rated at 111.6 and ranked third.
Immediately, asterisks were placed in this NBA Finals run. The Heat did not have Jimmy Butler and people were not giving enough credit to the Celtics. Despite winning in five games, the same thing happened against the Cavaliers. Jarrett Allen and Donovan Mitchell missed significant time in this series. In their sweep of the Pacers, the same words were being spoken out after Tyrese Haliburton went down.
Celtics fans along with the organization from top to bottom can hear the vitriol. All they can do is be the victors and hold the pen of history.
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