I’m late attending to this right this moment. Not as a result of I misplaced observe of time. Nor was there one thing pressing that obtained in the way in which. No. I’m late attending to this as a result of, for some cause, League Cross solely posted half of the Boston Celtics’ game-five win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. I’ve waited and waited for the complete sport to be posted, however nonetheless no pleasure.
This was a close-out sport. One other Recreation 5 that noticed the Celtics progress deeper into the postseason. I’d be doing you, the gamers, myself and the crew a disservice if I attempted to wing it by posting takeaways from the sport itself. I didn’t see sufficient, nor did I get a second watch in.
So, we’re attempting one thing completely different. I’ll hold it quick and candy. Hopefully, no matter difficulty stopped me from watching this sport can be mounted by the point the NBA Finals rolls round.
The New York Knicks maintain a 3-2 lead over the Indiana Pacers. The sequence has been a slug-fest. Each groups have thrown haymakers. Each have handled stellar performances and a few nights the place they couldn’t purchase a bucket. Indiana is a high-octane offense that likes to play in transition.
New York is sort of a boa constrictor. They clamp down, squeeze the life out of an offense and slowly grind you into submission. I like to think about their method as just like the “bind” transfer on the outdated Pokemon video games — they absorb some hits earlier than unleashing a flurry of their very own.
There’s no such factor as an ideal matchup within the NBA. Each the Pacers and Knicks include their very own set of hurdles. Indiana will run you into the bottom. New York will deliver physicality and power to the equation. Whoever the Celtics face, they’ve a tricky opponent on their palms.
Ignore the media narratives, although. This Celtics crew is battle-tested. Possibly not on this playoff run, however Boston has earned its spot among the many greatest rosters within the NBA through the years. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been to conflict for this franchise. Al Horford has been there each step of the way in which. Derrick White went to the NBA Finals with this crew. Jrue Vacation is playoff-tested and a former champion. The checklist goes on.
This Celtics crew is aware of what it takes. They’ve what it takes. They usually’re cooking everybody of their path. Sure, tougher exams nonetheless await. A possible matchup with the Denver Nuggets is terrifying. However you possibly can’t look that far forward. Not but. Not proper now. As a substitute, the Celtics should wait. Ultimately, their subsequent opponent will develop into clear, they usually can start prepping for easy methods to assault their weaknesses and restrict their strengths.
Boston’s been right here earlier than. A number of occasions. That’s the place their benefit lies. Neither Indiana nor New York’s roster has gotten this far — not as presently constructed. They’re swimming into the deep waters with no clue easy methods to take care of the undertow. The strain will get heavier at this stage. The extra eyes. The ultimate 4. New York or Indiana can be studying easy methods to navigate all the off-court stuff that comes with being within the convention finals. For the Celtics, that is par for the course.
The convention finals are virtually right here. The Celtics can be prepared. They’ve gone 8-2 of their first 10 video games. They’ve seldom appeared like a crew that’s been overhyped. New York or Indiana, it actually doesn’t matter. Both crew is simply one other stepping stone on the highway to Banner 18.
Nonetheless, if I made the selection, I’d select the Knicks. The “Battle of the Gardens” can be a lot enjoyable. Particularly if Tatum or Brown go for 40 in New York’s yard.
