The Boston Celtics failed to overcome a 3-0 hole against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals last year, just missing the opportunity to create NBA history.
They lost Game 7 because to Jayson Tatum’s ankle injury and Jaylen Brown’s poor shooting from three-point range. But this year, Boston is in the opposite situation. With a 3-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks, the team hopes to sweep the series and win a record 18 NBA titles.
Brown and Tatum said that their disappointment from the previous season served as motivation for them to succeed this time around. Brown called the loss from the previous year humiliating and said it motivated them to get better all summer. The Celtics have bounced back from that setback with a strong regular-season campaign, owning the top record and net rating in the league.
Boston may conclude this postseason with an incredible 16-2 record and establish themselves as one of the league’s top playoff teams with a victory on Friday. Brown and Tatum highlighted the team’s tenacity and commitment to growth, attributing the team’s success this season to their frustrations from the previous campaign.
The Celtics coach, Joe Mazzulla, stressed the team’s attention on guarding injured star Kristaps Porzingis and sticking to their game plan despite their overwhelming lead in the series. Al Horford agreed, highlighting the team’s resolve to approach every game with seriousness and to avoid getting ahead of themselves in their pursuit of another win and to maintain their entire attention on the task at hand.
