Boston Celtics analyst sends strong message on C’s Game 6 vs 76ers
Following Philadelphia taking a 3-2 lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals’ No. 2-No. 3 matchup, analysts are not taking the black pill and forecasting an offseason of doubts and rumors just yet for the green team — even if that is a very real possibility as the 76ers’ backcourt continues to dice the C’s defense after a 30-point night from Tyrese Maxey. Boston.com’s Tom Westerholm is actually quite hopeful about Boston’s immediate future in Game 6 on May 11 from the Wells Fargo Center, and even about the possibility of a Game 7 back at the TD Garden.
“The series isn’t over,” Westerholm wrote. “The Celtics often play well with their backs against the wall, and this group rallied from a 3-2 deficit before — look no further than last year’s Eastern Conference semifinal against the Bucks. They aren’t likely to shoot that poorly from 3-point range again.”
The Celtics shot just 12/38 from the 3-point line in Game 5, while the Bucks made the same number of 3-pointers in eight fewer attempts. Philadelphia also blasted Boston on the backboards with a +13 rebound advantage. It was an off-night to remember in the City of Brotherly Love, and a night to forget in Beantown. And the C’s locker room.
Jayson Tatum on Boston Celtics chances of winning series down 3-2: ‘We’ve done it’
Credit Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum for not being afraid of the moment with his team facing elimination, and inevitably after such a fate, calls for him and co-star Jaylen Brown to be broken up via trade. During the May 9 postgame media scrum, Tatum showed confidence in the Cs due to the same 2022 Eastern Conference semifinal series against Milwaukee that Westerholm had brought up.
“We’ve been in this position before, and we’re a confident group because we’ve done it,” Tatum prefaced before saying, “We know what it takes and we should be confident, right? Everybody believes in themselves, believes in the work they’ve put in so it’s nothing impossible, it’s just one game. Just take it one game at a time and be ready on Thursday.”
Though the Celtics did it with a longer-tenured NBA coach in Ime Udoka last time, Joe Mazzulla deserves the benefit of the doubt that he can get his team motivated until proven otherwise. Boston is still a live one during the 2023 postseason.