Heading into Tuesday night’s potential elimination game against the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics know what type of challenge is ahead. No team in NBA history has ever overcome a 3-0 series deficit in the playoffs.
Even if they’re successful at the Kaseya Center, one win won’t mean much of anything. The Celtics would still need to emerge victorious in the next three games, playing nearly perfect basketball in the process.
Yet, we’ve also seen how important momentum can be in the NBA Playoffs. Once the Denver Nuggets got out to a hot start, winning their first and then their second before we knew it, the Western Conference Finals were over, with Denver sweeping L.A. Of course, Boston wants to avoid the same embarrassment, especially considering they’re the No. 2 seed and Miami is the No. 8 seed.
Despite the obstacles ahead, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart haven’t lost any confidence in their abilities.
Smart’s message ahead of Tuesday’s matchup was simple, “Don’t let us get one.”
Meanwhile, Brown echoed a similar sentiment, “Don’t let us win tonight.”
It’s great to hear the Celtics are all on the same page ahead of Game 4, but it may already be far too late to make a difference. Unless we’re about to witness the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history.
Related: How the Miami Heat went from a play-in team to a championship contender in 2023