Boston Celtics: 3 keys to victory in must win game 3
By Mark Nilon
Boston Celtics key to victory No. 3) Another leader must emerge
This key plays a bit off of slide number one where we talk about their third-quarter tribulations throughout this year’s postseason but, at the heart of it, it would have a massive impact on this Boston Celtics team as a whole moving forward.
As we’ve said a plethora of times throughout this year’s campaign, the shamrocks are a team with enough talent to beat virtually anyone. That said, we always tend to follow this statement up with “including themselves.”
Oftentimes throughout the season, when they weren’t exploding upon their opponent, they were imploding amongst themselves due to the fact that there is no all encapsulating leader on this squad.
Sure, we go about stating Marcus Smart is the lifeblood of Boston Celtics basketball, and we absolutely mean that. With this in mind, however, his leadership has only led to just enough success to guide them to this point, but not enough to thrust them confidently into legitimate title contention in these playoffs, let alone as the top team in their respective conference despite being the higher seed over the Heat.
Smart has given his all in these playoffs and Boston has still managed to just scrape by. Because of this, should they want a legitimate shot of winning in tonight’s exhibition, another leader will have to emerge to help Smart in galvanizing these troops — keeping them hungry even when in command of a double-digit lead, holding them accountable when mistakes are made, and keeping their heads high in times of adversity.
Ideally, it would come in the shape of their best player Jayson Tatum, but one of their other main providers in Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker, or even the now questionable to play Gordon Hayward would suffice.
Smart wants to reach these NBA Finals bad, and it has been evident based on both his on-court performances as well as his locker room antics — though, some may question the means in which he expressed his emotions.
His fellow teammates need to follow suit.
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