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"Don't let us get one" may be a quote known in basketball galore for eternity. The words uttered by the Boston Celtics' gritty leader and guard: Marcus Smart after his team went down 0-3 in the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Miami Heat. We all remember Luka's epic line: "Everybody acts tough when they up" that he said before sending the Phoenix Suns home from the playoffs and their PR team to write an apology to the fans. "Don't let us get one" would trump that in a big way.
Being down 0-3 in the playoffs, facing a sweep, is probably the most demoralizing feeling in sports outside of losing a championship game. It destroys any confidence or good energy in the competitor's core. The fact that Marcus Smart immediately reverted to that comment; despite the 0-3 reality; is why he is the Celtics' heart and soul. It's why he is the leader and teammate he is. It's why the Celtics have magically eliminated the 0 and forced a Game 7 with a trip to The Finals on the line.
We have only seen 5 occasions of a Big 4 team being down 0-3 in a playoff series and coming all the way back to win the series. It has happened 4 times in the NHL and once in the MLB. Never has it happened in the NBA. For Boston fans, it has happened before: the infamous comeback in 2004 when the Red Sox; down 0-3 to their arch rival Yankees; came from behind to win 4 straight to head to the World Series- in which they won. One of the greatest sports moments ever & now the city of Boston might just experience that magic once again- this time on the hardwood.
Everyone wrote the C's off. I wrote the C's off. You the reader- wrote the C's off. Celtics' fans even wrote the C's off. Everyone. When we saw Jimmy Butler bark in Grant Williams' face- we thought that was the nail in the Celtics' coffin. Then Marcus Smart marched on the podium and spoke. "Don't let us win one". Then his comrades spoke. Rather on social media or in interviews- they uttered the same words their leader spoke. Don't let us win one. Celtics marched into game 4; in Miami; with some confidence again- as they took their 1 decisively behind Jayson Tatum's stellar 33-11-7 stat line. Tatum immediately spoke after the game: "Now don't let us get another".
Boston had all the right energy in Game 5. The Garden was loud as they began to build faith in this possible comeback. The atmosphere helped elevate the Celtics even more. Helped the players find confidence in one another again. Diving for loose balls. Creating turnovers. More importantly, not allowing Jimmy Butler to take any of the C's confidence away. The confidence in the air finally had other guys; not named Brown and Tatum- show up. Derrick White and Marcus Smart added 47 to Brown and Tatum's 42, as Al Horford got back to his soul suckin' ways, forcing Bam to have 6 turnovers and a -15 plus/minus. C's take Game 5 and officially say: buckle up.
Game 6 had the C's fighting for their life. They made it to Game 6- they had the confidence in the room back. Despite being on the road, they knew if they stuck with them close; that they would win the crunch-time moments and shifts. That is exactly what they did. Horford had an epic block with 8 mins left in the 4th that helped prepare the C's for another magic win. Celtics just wouldn't bleed out, they wouldn't tap. The game was brought to one final possession; one final shot- a shot that might be played in Boston forever:
Never give up kind of shot. Wow. The Red Sox comeback had so many special moments across the 4 wins: Schilling's bloody sock; Ortiz's bomb; and "The Steal". The C's will have the same tale. Magical moments for a magical comeback. Sports in it's purest form. Can the C's complete the first ever 0-3 comeback in NBA history? They have a chance to do it in The Garden... do they fold under the lights or will they enter basketball galore and be remembered forever? Oh baby is Game 7 going to be fun. Just please, be a good game. Someone better get some Compound V for Jimmy Butler. Maybe give some to Grant Williams too. This Game 7 moment needs to have a good contest. It needs to be neck and neck. I want all Celtics fans; Heat fans; and basketball fans needing to change their damn shirt, as they sit at the edge of their seat, biting their nails in intrigue. Game 7. 3-0 to 3-3. Sports. RUN IT!
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