Boston Celtics: 3 keys to victory for “win and you’re in” game seven

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 09: Kemba Walker #8 of the Boston Celtics drives against Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors in the second half during Game Six of the second round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on September 9, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 09: Kemba Walker #8 of the Boston Celtics drives against Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors in the second half during Game Six of the second round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on September 9, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images)
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The Boston Celtics find themselves heading into game seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals after coming up short in their game six bubble classic.

It’s hard to believe that just last week the Boston Celtics were a mere .5 seconds away from going up 3-0 against the Toronto Raptors in this Semifinals series. Had this happened, history would have suggested an Eastern Conference Finals berth was a surefire thing for the shamrocks, as no team has ever made its way back from such a deficit.

Alas, however, today we find ourselves gearing up mentally for a grueling end to a grueling series in the shape of a game seven.

Boston had a chance to put the Raptors away Wednesday, as they were up 3-2 and had momentum on their side. Unfortunately, after two overtimes, Toronto’s unwillingness to quit was too much for Brad Stevens’ squad and they ultimately came up short with a final score of 125-122.

Had it been a complete blowout, heading into this final exhibition of round-two it would be quite an easy task to pinpoint a few things in which the Celtics should focus on fixing up in order to attain a ‘W’ in tonight’s must-win. Unfortunately, this was not the case as the Cs, in all honesty, played pretty well for the most part (believe me, I know it’s odd to start out this statement with “unfortunately).

For both franchises, their fate for the 2019-20 campaign comes down to tonight. The victor of the exhibition will go on to play the red-hot Miami Heat in the Conference Finals while the loser will have their bubble dreams burst and be sent packing.

It’s do-or-die time for the Boston Celtics and, if they wish to elongate their stay in Disney World, they’ll need to hone in on these three pivotal keys: