When the Boston Celtics fell down 3-0 in their Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the Miami Heat, everyone stuck a fork in coach Joe Mazzulla’s team. But not Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Co. They never gave up.
That persistence has paid off so far, with the Celtics climbing back into the picture, winning back-to-back contests to bring the series to 3-2 heading into Saturday night’s Game 6.
What the Celtics have already done is impressive, becoming just the 15th team in NBA playoff history to force a Game 6 after facing a 3-0 series deficit. But now, the Cs are looking to become just the third team to force a Game 7 after trailing 3-0. Keep in mind, no team has ever come all the way back, winning four games in a row to win a series after starting off by losing their first three matchups.
But the Celtics haven’t lost any faith in their approach. Listening to Brown speak ahead of Saturday’s matchup, it’s clear his confidence hasn’t wavered. Here’s what the two-time All-Star had to say about the series so far.
“We believe that we’re the better team in this series, we haven’t played like it. It’s our destiny to be able to make it to the next level. History is at our doorstep and we gotta respond.”
Boston Celtics’ All-Star guard Jaylen Brown
The Celtics were certainly the better team during the regular season, winning 57 games compared to the Heat’s 44. Boston earned the No. 2 seed, and Miami forced their way into the No. 7 seed after winning the East’s play-in tournament and haven’t looked back since. This included knocking off top-seeded Milwaukee in the first round of the playoffs.
Many may have felt the Celtics were indeed the better team when the postseason began, but Jimmy Butler’s been on a different level ever since. Yet, the Celtics have at least shown their resolve by proving to be a tough out so far.
Game 6 heads back to the Kaseya Center in Miami, where Boston lost Game 3 by 26 points but bounced back for a Game 4 victory, their first of the series.
Aside from coming in with momentum while adding fuel to Miami’s fire, this matchup shouldn’t be any different than their previous battles. Boston’s still facing a win-or-go-home scenario. Meanwhile, Miami is still just one win away from a trip to the NBA Finals. We’ll find out who prevails later tonight.
Related: Can the Boston Celtics pull off a Red Sox-style comeback after being down 0-3?